The Oni and the Dragon
by Wyrenfire
Summary: In the First Realm, years ago, a young dragon and oni met. They fell in love, but the war broke them apart. When the dragon hatches an egg containing a strange new creature, how will the world change? Will the young spinjitzu master survive with the help of his mother, or will the war destroy everything? My take on the origins of the First Spinjitzu Master...
1. Chapter 1

**AN: This is a random thing I wrote. I was watching episode 77 and I decided to write this. If you haven't seen the new episode, this might spoil somethings.**

 **Lego owns Ninjago**

Clouds of condensation steamed her vision as she flew. Keeping low in the sky, the dragon flinched as branches whipped at her underbelly. Dark shapes floated in the air above her, camouflaged in the ebony sky. The only light to guide her came from the full moon, turning the midnight world silver. Stars blinking in and out of existence as patrolling soldiers flew over her. One of them seemed to spot something of interest.

Just as the figure swooped towards her, she dived between the trees, landing silently on the leaf-litter below. Sinking low to the ground, trying to silent her frantic breaths, Tatsuo watched the dragon soldier leave. A small flood of relief caused her to sigh, calming her breathing. But she still had a long way to go.

Lifting her body up from the damp ground, Tatsuo looked up at the dark canopy above. It would be easier to travel in the sky, but also easier to spot. And the female dragon needed to keep a low profile. Her only other option was to travel through the forest, but that ran the risk of getting lost. _Make up your mind, you're running out of time!_

Dashing off into the woods, Tatsuo wished her scales weren't bright silver, she was to easy to spot. Keeping to the shadows, the dragon headed in the direction she hoped her destination was in. Brief sightings of the moon hurried her pace, reminding her that time was short. _Please don't let me be late!_

Just thinking about the egg, her egg, alone when it hatched, made her heart race. She'd hidden it away from the other dragons to protect it, she couldn't handle the thought of her child being killed, or worse. But what if a dragon found the egg after it hatched, and killed her hatchling? The silver dragon pushed herself on faster, panicked thoughts lending strength to her limbs.

As she ran, Tatsuo was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't see the figure emerge from the forest. Suddenly wrapped in the strong tail of another dragon, Tatsuo landed on the forest floor with a groan of pain. Panicked, she began struggling out of the grip. But a laugh sounded from her attacker, and the strangle hold around her middle disappeared. Jumping up to face her attacker, Tatsuo was surprised to see that it was Alvis.

"Hey, hey, calm down. I was only playing." Alvis grinned at her overly aggressive reaction to his mock attack. His pale bronze scales looked gold in the soft moonlight streaming from the canopy. Tatsuo managed to calm her breathing, and returned his smile, but without the same passion.

"Sorry, you scared me. What are you doing out here?" Tatsuo asked, trying to sound casual, hoping Alvis would leave. But the bronze dragon just moved closer to her, till his nose was only a few centimetres from hers.

"What are _you_ doing out here?" He teased, smiling at her. Tatsuo felt her impatience rise. Alvis had been crushing on her since they were young, and she didn't return the sentiment. He was a good friend, but someone else had already stolen her heart. _Even if I wish they hadn't._

"Just going for a run. And I'd like to continue." She tried to brush him off, moving away from Alvis. Looking slightly hurt, he called after her.

"I was going to tell you later, but General Koya is planning the strategy for the raid on the Oni's south stronghold. You might what to join the meeting." Alvis informed her, sounding slightly jealous. Tatsuo turned to him again, taking in the information.

In her rank as a Captain, she was privy to most attack plans, and even had a say in the decisions. But while most dragons wished for such a role, Tatsuo hated it. Of course, she used to love it, but that was before she met Revon...

"Maybe later." She replied, not interested in planning a pointless attack. They never worked, the Oni were too destructive. And her egg was more important to her. Alvis nodded, then asked.

"Are you okay? You've been distant recently." Alvis walked closer to her, but kept his distance this time. His pale green eyes looked at her with concern.

"I'm fine, just a lot on my mind. You know, the war and stuff." She replied simply, painfully aware of the passing time.

"I know it's more than that." He responded gently, nudging her cheek softly with his muzzle. "You know you can always talk to me, I'll listen."

For a second, Tatsuo was tempted to do just that. To spill all the thoughts she'd had, all the trouble she was in. The fear she'd lived in for months, how tired she was of it all. But that would mean admitting to treason, and she would be killed. Instead, she just smiled at him warmly.

"Thank you, you're a great friend." Tatsuo gently drifted away from him, walking back into the forest. Once she was out of sight, she began running again, not seeing the hurt expression on Alvis' face. Maybe in another life, she would have chosen him as her mate, but Fate was cruel.

Back on course, she began recognising landmarks that marked the route to her egg's hiding place. Her silver scales reflected the moonlight against the nearby trees, creating a mesmerising light show. But she ignored it, only interested in reaching her child in time.

Pushing through some foliage, she stumbled into a small cave. The entrance was screened by thick ivy, letting in only slivers of light. Blinking against the gloom, Tatsuo looked around for her egg. Her breaths came in gasps, and she was forced to lie down for a second. Her adrenaline was fading, leaving her exhausted.

Spotting her egg in the nest she'd made, she crept over. Cracks had already appeared on its dark surface, and more were forming as she watched. Unlike normal dragon eggs, it was a deep raven in colour, and was smaller than most. Watching it hatch, Tatsuo worried what the child would be like. Never in history had a hatchling been born to a dragon and an oni. _What if something's wrong with it? What if I came all this way just to see my baby die?_

Just remembering the egg's father made her heart ache. She'd know it was wrong, forbidden, but he was so sweet. He understood her like no one else. He may have been a destructive oni, but she fell for him. And she hoped he loved her too. When she discovered she was with egg, they agreed to end the relationship, but she still pined for him. And now she was alone, watching their son hatch.

Frozen, the female dragon watched parts of the egg shell fall away. Was she supposed to help it? Or did it need to be left alone? Unsure, she began to pace in the tight space. Nerves on end, she saw the hatchling emerge.

Shock flooded her brain, as she took in the appearance of her son. He look a bit like an oni, with two legs and two arms. His neck was short, and his face was soft and round. The baby stumbled out of the nest, crawling toward her. Lowering her head, she sniffed her new-born. He didn't smell like a dragon, or an oni. He was completely hairless, except a small tuft on his head. He was a pale colour, and looked completely defenceless.

Confused, but filled with love for her son, Tatsuo lay down next to the baby, wrapping it gently in her tail. The baby gargled softly, then curled up, falling asleep in the warm embrace of his mother. Tatsuo looked at her sweet child as it slept.

"You are a strange little one, but you're my son. And I'll protect you, no matter what." She promised in a whisper, gently licking her hatchling on his soft, scale-less cheek.

Resting her head on the ground, Tatsuo felt calm for the first time in months. Yes, the future was unclear and scary, but right now, she only cared that her son was safe with her. Her only grief was that Revon would never meet his son. Maybe one day, when our son is older...

Feeling at peace, the silver dragon slipped into a calm sleep. Dreams of the future were peaceful, in a world where the war was over, and she was free to love Revon. And her son wasn't a sign of treason, but a sign of hope.

 **AN: I might continue this, if people like it. We don't know much about the origins of the first spinjitzu master, but I think it could have happened like this. The romance of an oni and a dragon.**

 **Please review and follow.**

 **Bye**

 **Wyrenfire**


	2. Chapter 2

**AN:** **Thanks for the response to this story. I decided that it might be worth continuing with the idea. Hope you like it.**

 **Lego owns Ninjago**

Deep in the fortified mountain, lay a hidden city. If you found one of the heavily guarded cave entrances, and were able to avoid the sentries, you might have a chance of seeing it. Lost in the maze of caverns, you would have seen homes, businesses, inns, factories, and schools. An entire civilization, under the mountain. The great mountain itself was called Mount Ninjaro. It rose hundreds of meters into the air, and the summit was hidden in the clouds. This was the ancient home of the dragons.

And, at the centre of the cavernous city, a war meeting was taking place. A spacious cave was occupied by a massive, oak table. And the table was surrounded by fifty dragons, all arranged by rank. King and Queen at the top, and low ranking Captains at the bottom. Each dragon was silent, watching the king.

The king was a large dragon, a good third the size of any normal dragon. And that was owing to his age. You see, dragons grow throughout their lives, at different rates. And this great golden beast was over one hundred years old. He was strong and cunning, and everyone bowed to his rule. Even Tatsuo, near the end of the table, could feel his aura of majesty.

"Welcome, my loyal subjects. As you know, I have summoned you here to discuss the greatest threat to our valiant kingdom." The king's voice echoed around the cave, demanding the attention of every dragon in hearing range. "Corporal Jiro, please report the latest developments."

A deep raven dragon, seated a few places down from the king, rose. In his talons, he clutched a scroll. Raising his head slightly, Jiro began his report. The gold earing and expensive leg braces, told Tatsuo that this dragon was very well off.

"On the fourth day of Samhradh*, two scouts flew on a routine mission over the Arrida desert. They found the bones of an army of dragons, who had gone missing three months before. All signs pointed to the work of Oni." Jiro reported in a dry, emotionless voice, pausing to turn the page. "More recently, six soldiers have been targeted and destroyed by the Oni, while on duty."

"Thank Corporal Jiro." The king indicated for the black dragon to sit down, then turned to address the whole table. "As you can see, my friends, we need to decide our next course of action. Or inaction."

Every dragon lowered their heads slightly, not wanting to think about death that could result from either opinion. But Tatsuo's only worry was her son, who might be harmed by either side of the war. She didn't real want to be here, but she couldn't raise suspicions by not attending.

"Alright, if no one is forthcoming about any opinions, I'll call it to a vote." The king grumbled, letting his voice fill the silence. "If you think we should attack, raise your talon. And if you believe inaction is the best course of action, remain still. Place your vote, in the knowledge that both opinions pose risks to the dragons of this gracious city."

Instantly, talons shot into the air, more than Tatsuo could count. With a sinking feeling in her stomach, Tatsuo realised it was an obvious majority. Still, the silver dragon kept her talons firmly under the table. The king called for hands down, and the forest of talons disappeared.

"Well, you have made your collective stance on this issue obvious. Corporal Miyuki, draw up a battle plan and report to me later. The rest of you, leave and return to your duties." The king barked the order at an old green dragon, before dismissing the table.

At the king's dismissal, Tatsuo, joined by the other Captains, left the cave. It was hard to push past all the crowd, but once she was out, she ran into a smaller tunnel. It was often unused, and subsequently forgotten. But not by Tatsuo.

This was her secret passage, her way to leave and visit Revon, and more recently, her son. With light, she was forced to carefully feel her way along the tunnel, cursing when sharp rocks scratched her scales. After a few minutes of gloom, she began to see the familiar glow of daylight.

Stumbling out of the cave, the silver dragon slipped into the nearby foliage. Keeping quiet, Tatsuo crept through the forest, aiming for a grove of apple trees.

Normally, she would frown upon the thought of eating fruit, but her odd son seemed to have a fondness for it. So she gently, carefully, picked some apples to bring him. After completing her task, she scrambled away, aiming for the hiding place.

She approached slowly, pushing the ivy aside with her head. Stepping into the small cave, the silver dragon was slightly surprised when a tiny child wrapped his hands around her leg. Looking down, she gently pushed him off, placing the apples next to the infant.

"It's nice to see you too. And look, I brought a treat!" She told him happily. Her son instantly began munching on one of the red fruits. When naming her child, she'd decided on the name Akemi, because it reminded her of new dawns.

"Tha'k 'ou, mumma." Akemi replied around a mouthful of apple, spraying chunks in her face. Tatsuo just smiled and rubbed them off her face. Even though it had only been a few month since he was born, Akemi could already walk and talk. His growth rate was surprising.

Dragon did reach maturity rather fast, but no where near the rate that Tatsuo had observed in her son. _Maybe it has something to do with being half Oni?_ Tatsuo knew nothing about the lives of the enemy, and now she wished she'd asked Akemi's father.

"Finish your apple, then talk." She scolded him gently. The toddler nodded, gulping down his last bite of the fruit. Then the child looked up at his mother, excited to see her for the first time since yesterday.

"What you do, mumma?" Akemi asked, eyes shining with innocence. Tatsuo didn't want to tell him about the war council, so she made up a story on the spot.

"I was just talking with my friends, then went to pick the apples." She lied, laying down in the cave. Akemi jumped up onto her side, looking intensely into her eyes. For a few seconds, she was mesmerized by his unique golden eyes, shining in the gloomy cave.

"You lie!" The toddler crowed, looking confused. Shocked, and slightly disturbed, Tatsuo gently licked his forehead.

"Yes, I'm sorry. But I just wanted to see if you would see through my lie." She backtracked quickly, thinking fast. Akemi didn't seem to mind, he just smiled and jumped up and down.

"Ohh, like a game?" He enquired, laughing as she let him climb on her neck, reaching up to grab her horns.

"Yes, a game. And what game do you want to play now?" She asked playfully, glad that he'd dropped the subject. Akemi slid off her neck, landing on the ground with a thump.

"I wanna explore!" Her son exclaimed excitedly, pointing towards the ivy screen that hid the cave from view. Tatsuo replied with a shake of her head.

"Sorry sweetie, we can't play out there. It's not a safe place for hatchlings." She apologised, nudging him away from the cave exit. Akemi frowned, letting out a small cry of protest.

"But why, mumma. There's nothin' to do in here!" Akemi complained, still looking outside. Tatsuo sighed.

"There's plenty to do in here. Like... wall drawing, or rock collecting." Tatsuo scanned her mind for a game to entertain him.

"None of that is fun! Can we playfight?" Akemi asked, abandoning the ivy screen and the world beyond. Tatsuo still wasn't completely happy with his choice of game, but relented.

"Okay, lets pretend I'm a big dragon that going to get you. And you can be-" Tatsuo's words were cut off by Akemi.

"An oni!" Akemi interrupted, running over to begin the game. But his mother was watching him with a fearful expression.

"Where did you hear that word?" She demanded, a bit too forcefully. The toddler shrank back, sensing that he had said something wrong.

"I didn't, I just know it. What is an oni?" Akemi replied quietly, looking confused and frightened. Tatsuo relaxed her expression a bit, seeing his fear.

"You don't need to know that yet." She told him gently, then got into a mock fighting stance. "Ready to face the almighty dragon?"

"Ahh!" Akemi laughed, running at his mother and jumping at her legs. Tatsuo carefully pretended to snap at him, and 'accidently' helped him climb onto her back.

The mock battle lasted for a few minutes, till both parties were breathing heavily. But smiles lighted both of their faces.

Exhausted, Akemi lay down next to his mother belly, resting his small head on her leg. The silver dragon smiled down at him gently. Giving him a gently nuzzle, she lay her head down to rest. But barely five seconds past before he asked.

"Why can't I leave the cave?" Akemi's eyes were so innocent, that Tatsuo couldn't find it in herself to lie again. So she gave him a vague truth.

"This world isn't at its best right now, and you wouldn't be safe out there." Tatsuo responded calmly. Upon seeing his nervous expression, she added. "But I believe that will change, and we'll live in a beautiful world one day, and that's what I want you to see."

Akemi didn't reply, just snuggled closer to her. Tatsuo smiled at her sleeping son, her hope for the _future. You're going to make me so proud one day._

 **AN:** **And that's the next chapter, hope it wasn't to dull. It was meant to be showing some more of the dragons' culture, and the relationship between Tatsuo and Akemi.**

 **The most of the names I'm using are Japanese names. And Akemi means 'beautiful dawn'. I thought it was a good name for the child.**

 **Also, before people get mad, I am working on my next oneshots. I haven't abandoned them, I just finished this chapter first. The next one will be soon.**

 **Also, the ranks for the dragon army are, King, Corporal, Major, General, Captain. And soldiers at the bottom.**

 ***this means summer.**

 **Please review and follow**

 **Bye**

 **Wyrenfire**


	3. Chapter 3

**AN:** **Hope you like the new chapter. Akemi is growing up faster than a normal human, so he now resembles a 7 year old boy.**

 **Lego owns Ninjago**

Pale green light shone through the ivy screen, bathing Akemi in its weak warmth. Blinking his eyes open, the child raised his head to look around the cave. Most of the cavern was still hidden in shadows, but the small area by the entrance, where he was sitting, was illuminated by the dawn sun. Akemi frowned slightly as he searched the cave. _Mother's gone again..._

It was the normal routine for them. Mum visits once every two days, then leaves soon after. He was used to it, and he understood the reason for it, but that didn't stop him from wishing that it wasn't necessary. _Why can't mother take me somewhere new, or let me explore on my own?_

Sighing heavily, Akemi began his daily routine of getting himself some food. His mother always kept the cave stocked with fruits and vegetables, and some times, meats. But today, when the child reached into the crack that hid the food, his hand touched only rock.

Drawing his hand out in confusion, the seven year old peered inside, trying to make out any shapes in the gloom. Nothing. Worried now, Akemi reached in again, feeling every inch of the cleft. Sharp rocks scratched his hand, but no food.

Sitting back and staring at the crack, Akemi felt panic rise in his mind. What was he supposed to do? Mother wouldn't return for another two days. How was he supposed to feed himself? Checking the store again, just to be sure, Akemi realised that this was really happening. _Mother never told me what to do!_

Scrambling into one corner of the cave, the child racked his brain for a way to fix the problem. He could just wait, maybe he could survive without food? But the hunger pangs in his stomach were unbearable to the small child, and he discarded that idea. Could he call for his mum? No, she told him that she lived in a mountain, miles from here, she would never hear him. Akemi sighed with defeat.

Curled up in to corner, the child let his eyes wander around the cave. Without thinking, Akemi's eyes focused on the ivy screened entrance. The dawn sunlight had now been replaced with a strong beam of golden light, making the gloomy cave even less appealing. _Outside..._

"No, mother trusts me to stay here!" Akemi exclaimed out loud to himself. Mother would be really mad if he left, but the hunger in the boy's belly pushed that to the side. _I'll just go out for a bit, to find something to eat. She won't know._

Cautiously, the boy crept towards the ivy screen, pausing just before the entrance. His morals told him that Mother had a reason for not letting him out, but his gut told him that it was the right thing to do. There was something out there that he needed to see, to understand...

Ever since he could think cognitively, Akemi had always felt strong feelings about certain things, like information or moments. He also freaked his mother out by knowing thinks he shouldn't. But he couldn't help it, the words and meanings just appeared in his mind. He thought it was great, his mother less so.

Slowly pushing the ivy aside with his pale hands, Akemi peeked his head out of the cave for the first time. The first thing that drew his attention was the colours. The greens, browns, and yellows of the forest seemed to glow in the intense sunlight. Arching overhead, Akemi was shocked to see the azure sky, dotted with pale shapes. Stumbling out of the cave, the child had to cover his adjusting eyes from the sunlight, that beat down harder than he had ever experienced before. Soon, his skin was surprisingly warm, taking in the heat from the UV.

Feeling a bit out of place, but excited, Akemi dashed over to the nearest tree. His legs, unused to running on uneven surfaces, struggled to keep him on his feet. But soon, he reached the tree. Touching the bark, Akemi was amazed at how rough it felt. A bit like rock, but softer. Gazing upwards, the boy laughed with delight as he saw the spreading branches. Studying the paths of the branches, Akemi realised that each one split off into smaller twigs, each loaded with thick green leaves.

Abandoning the tree, the hyperactive boy ran to a nearby stream, following the sound of rushing water. Crouching by the brook, Akemi dipped his hand in the cool water, enjoying the feel of the underlying currents. Lifting his hand out slowly, the child watched the water run out of his hand, dropping onto the surface of the pool to create ripples. _Why did mother never take me to see any of this?_

Mesmerized by the river, Akemi began to realise how thirsty he was. Not sure how to drink out of the brook, the boy lowered his head to the surface of the water, taking a few gulps of the cool liquid. Amazed at the instant relief that the water gave him, Akemi took a few more sips. Before, the only way he satisfied his thirst was by eating watery fruit. But the stream was much better.

Distracted by his drink, Akemi didn't notice the creature that was slowly approaching the brook. When his reflection in the water was joined by the thin muzzle of an odd animal, Akemi didn't run, or jump. He just looked up at the new creature, studying it with curious eyes.

The animal had a small, thin head, attached to a long neck. Below the neck, a slim body with four spindly legs supported the creature, holding it at a height just a few centimetres above the crouching child. Its large ears flickered constantly, and the black nose sniffed the air every few seconds. The long legs ended in clover hooves, leaving small slots in the mud of the riverbank. The thin layer of fur over the animal was russet brown, with white details on its muzzle and underbelly.

"Oh, hello. What are you?" Akemi asked the creature, gazing at it in awe.

The animal's only reply was to snort softly, then lower its head to drink. While it gulped the cold water, the child sat down on a nearby rock, watching it. He smiled at the thought of telling his mother about this encounter, then frowned when he realised that he mustn't reveal this adventure to his mum. She wouldn't understand, and would just get angry and worried. This was his little secret now.

After a while, the odd creature moved away, trotting deeper into the forest. Akemi scrambled after it, following at a distance. As he walked further from the cave, the gaps between the trees grew smaller, and the foliage thickened. The animal he was following had no trouble with these obstacles, expertly traversing the environment. While Akemi struggled along behind.

Reaching a clearing, the child stayed by the trees, letting the creature move into the middle alone. The animal stopped in the clearing, then raised its head, letting out two short calls. Akemi held his breath, wondering what was about to happen.

A smile broke out over the boy's face when he saw, out of the undergrowth, a smaller creature arrive. It looked almost identical to the other, larger animal. Except, it had a smaller body, with legs that seemed too long for it to control. It had the same brown fur as the other creature, but also had bright white spots dotting its back. The small creature ran up to the larger one, touching noses with it. Akemi saw the interaction, and knew that they were mother and child.

Watching the happy family play in the clearing, Akemi wished he could join them. Out here, all alone, he missed the reassuring presence of his mother. She always played with him when she visited, and longing tugged at the child's heart. _I wish she was here with me._

The two animals were so distracted by their game, that they didn't notice shadow that fell over the clearing. But Akemi did. The boy jumped up in surprise, backing into the trees with fear. The shadow grew, and so did the sound of beating wings. It was a sound that Akemi knew heralded the arrival of his mother, but these wings didn't sound the same.

Scared for the creatures, Akemi let out a warning cry. The older animal raised its head in panic, and began to shepherd its child into the trees. But it was too late.

Massive talons closed around the neck of the mother, smacking to onto the forest floor. The baby reared in fear, and dashed into the trees before the attacker could grab it. The fearsome newcomer was a dragon, but not Akemi's mother. This dragon was bigger, with a thick tail and massive wings. Its scales were a deep burgundy, flashing blood red in the sunlight. Its jaw was full of razor sharp fangs, and its talons glinted red with blood.

Akemi shrank back in fear, hiding deeper in the foliage. He watched in numb horror as the huge dragon ripped the creature to pieces, gulping down large chunks of flesh. By the end of the massacre, only bones and scraps were left.

The dragon lifted its head, sniffing the air. Then the great burgundy beast rose back into the air, leaving the forest silent. As its shadow disappeared, Akemi let out a breath he didn't realise he'd be holding.

Traumatised, Akemi stayed by the clearing for a few more minutes. All thought of food had left him mind. Adventures suddenly seemed less appealing. The small boy just wanted to go home to the cave, and be hugged by his mother. Stumbling to his feet, Akemi took one last look back at the clearing. And wished he hadn't.

The bones were still there, still covered in a small layer of flesh. The scene was macabre, but the worst bit was a the fact that the baby animal had returned. The orphan was sniffing the remains of its mother, clearly confused and lost. Akemi was saddened by the scene, and headed slowly over to the creature.

The baby lifted its head as he approached, freezing in fear. But as Akemi got closer, it didn't run. Just stood stone-still, breathing heavily. The boy reached out a hand, laying it gently on the animal's head. The baby relaxed, leaning into the touch. Akemi smiled in wonder.

"I'm sorry about your mum, she didn't want to leave you." Akemi comforted the orphan, wanting to do something to help. "I wish I could help you grow up faster, so you could fend for yourself."

As Akemi spoke those words, his hand glowed a soft gold. Surprised, Akemi tried to move his hand away from the creature's head. But it wouldn't budge. Under his touch, the baby animal began to grow.

At first, it just got larger. But as it grew, its white-spotted back faded, leaving plain russet fur, just like its mother. But unlike its mother, the baby's head sprouted two long spikes, which branched out as the animal grew.

When he was finally able to remove his hand, Akemi stepped back to stare at the creature in wonder. It was slightly larger than its mother had been, and with stronger legs. Its neck was wider, and the creature's head was crowned by two, twelve pointed antlers. The animal look fully grown, and ready to live in the forest. Akemi let out a little laugh of shock and joy.

"Go on, be free. You can survive now!" Akemi exclaimed to the newly transformed creature, pointing to the forest. The animal bowed its head to the boy, then dashed into the forest. Akemi watched it leave, until he could no longer make out its shape in the dark shadows of the forest.

Walking back towards the cave, Akemi looked at his hand in wonder. What had happened back there? Should he tell his mum? Conflicted, the child decided to keep this a secret as well. It probably wasn't important, and he didn't want to admit to leaving the cave. _I'll tell her if it becomes important later, but she doesn't need to know now._

 **AN:** **well that was both fun and traumatizing. I was trying to show how Akemi begins to understand the value of creation and destruction, and to begin developing his powers. Since he goes on to create Ninjago, I'm guessing he's very powerful.**

 **Can any one tell what creature he met. It's very obvious if you read the descriptions. If some people didn't get it, the creatures were supposed to be deer, probably roe deer. Akemi's powers made the fawn larger than normal, with extra points to its horns. Like a deer on steroids.**

 **Please leave requests and review and follow.**

 **Bye**

 **Wyrenfire**


	4. Chapter 4

**AN:** **Hope you like the new chapter. Akemi is now about 11 years old in mind and body, okay.**

 **Lego owns Ninjago**

Stifling her breath, Tatsuo crept through the rocky terrain, keeping her body low so her silver scales weren't visible. The darkening sky was flooded with red and orange light, masking her steady progress through the canyon. Memories of her last visit to this place raced across her mind, blurring her concentration. _Focus!_

Placing her talons down gently, she pulled herself over an outcrop of rock, wincing as a few pebbles clattered in her wake. The echo of the sound froze her blood, and the silver dragon paused in her movements. When nothing happened, she slowly released her breath, and continued on. Gaining confidence, she picked up her pace.

Soon, she was within sight of her destination. The pool of water, snowmelt from the spring, reflected the stars and moon. Next to the pool, stood a huge outcrop of rock, arching over the serene pool. And under that outcrop, stood a dark figure. Slowly traversing the cliff, Tatsuo arrived beside the pool, ignoring the figure and lowering her head to drink. She remained still as the dark figure moved out of the shadow, and stepped towards her, seeming to bring dusk with him.

"You're late." The figure accused, glaring at the silver dragon. Tatsuo raised her head slowly, and faced him with her eyes narrowed.

"Not all of us have the ability to hide in shadows. I came as fast as I could without being spotted, that should be enough for you." Tatsuo responded sternly, but inside her heart was racing. It had been three years since she last saw him, and her love hadn't died, even if she wished it had.

"I know, I shouldn't doubt you. I'm just nervous about meeting again, so soon after the latest battle." Revon apologised smoothly, sitting down next to her. His long, twig-like legs bent oddly, but he seemed fine with the uncomfortable-looking position. His claw-like hands stayed at his side, and his orange face and grey horns stood out drastically from his dark body.

"You know it was the only way I could get the message to you, even if it was risky." Tatsuo replied with a sigh. In the most recent battle against the Oni, Tatsuo had deliberately aimed to attack Revon. But instead of fighting, as everyone who saw would think, they had actually been talking. She had requested this meeting with him, and he had reluctantly agreed.

"I understand, but that doesn't mean I like it. I thought we agreed to never see each other again?" Revon asked in confused anger. Tatsuo sighed, and looked him in the eyes.

"I know, but I want you to meet our child. He askes more and more questions with every passing day. He needs answers, and he needs to know his father." Tatsuo implored him, looking deep into his pitch black eyes. Revon started at the suggestion, looking at her in horror.

"I can't do that! You said he was better off without my influence!" Revon snapped his accusation, turning his whole body to face the silver dragon.

"Please, just one visit. He won't become like you after one visit!" She argued desperately, reaching out a talon to hold his.

"What's so bad about being like me? I don't want him to act like a dragon, but here we are! And no, I can't go. He's in Dragon land, I won't be able to cross the boarder." Revon growled, glaring at her. Tatsuo felt a familiar pang of fear as the oni's eyes bore onto her, but she kept her head high. _He wouldn't hurt me, he loves me!_

"I'll bring him here, just promise me you'll be here tomorrow night." Tatsuo ignored his jib about their son being raised by her, and instead decided to take a direct approach.

"Fine, but only one night. After that, I'm finished with this business." Revon snapped, crossing his arms. A few metres away, a boulder exploded, making Tatsuo flinch. Revon smiled slightly.

"I'm not intimidated by your destructive power! Creation is much more important." The silver dragon hissed, walking away, back up the cliff. As she turned away, she pushed her power over to the remains of the rock, and heard the fragments of the granite move back together, reforming the boulder.

"Whatever, just bring the kid and leave me alone." Revon snapped angrily, watching her leave. Tatsuo held her breath, feeling his gaze on her back. This banter had been normal while they were courting, but it seemed more serious this time, more aggressive.

Hauling herself over the cliff edge, Tatsuo took one last look at the love of her life. His head was turned away, and he was moving back towards the shadowy outcrop. _Oh, why did I fall for a destructive oni?_

_time skip_

"Where are we going, mother?" Akemi asked again, skipping alongside his mother, who just ignored his question. She'd been silent since they'd left the forest, and Akemi had continued to question her on their destination.

As the silver dragon trotted at a steady pace, with the child running to keep up, Akemi looked at the passing landscapes, amazed by the shear size of the world. Up to now, his secret adventures had only gone as far as the edge of the forest. But now, he was being led through Oni territory, which mainly consisted of barren, rocky mountains.

Even with the seemingly dull landscape, Akemi still found plenty to gaze in awe at; the height of the stone spikes, the deep, blue pools of snowmelt, the brightly coloured lizards that ran in between the rocks. _The world is huge! I want to see it all!_

"Can you just give me a little clue?" Akemi asked quietly, as his mother dug her talons into the pebbly path to slow to a stop. Instead of replying, she peered over the edge of the cliff they had reached, scanning the area. Akemi joined her, but could see nothing of interest.

"What is it, mother?" Akemi questioned, looking at her pale blue eyes. She shifted her gaze to him for a second, then resumed her watch on the pool below.

"Just stay silent and wait." She whispered simply, and lowered her long neck. Akemi took the hint and climbed onto her neck, feeling the warm scales move underneath him as his mother began climbing down the cliff.

Hugging one of her neck spines, Akemi tried not to look down, even when the sliver dragon slipped slightly on a pebble. The progress was slow, but they eventually reached the bottom of the cliff. The sun had long set by now, leaving the area in shadows. Undeterred, Akemi ran to the pool of water, looking into the reflection of the stars.

"Akemi, please stay near me, don't go running off." Tatsuo called out, and the boy lowered his head and returned to her side. _This is no fun at all._

"Oh, Tatsuo, just let the boy play. Oni never stop our young from exploring." Akemi jumped and hid under his mother's legs as a deep, unfamiliar voice echoed from a nearby outcrop. His mother seemed unfazed, and she simply watched as a shadowy figure emerged, heading straight for them.

"Glad to see that you listened to me. Not really your best entrance, you scared him." His mother replied coolly, pushing Akemi gently in front of her. Suddenly out in the open, faced by the dark figure, Akemi struggled with the urge to run away. The figure stepped closer, till the child could make out his head. The mask-like face was a bright orange, and had a crooked jaw full of razor sharp fangs. The horns weren't as long as his mother's, but still looked deadly sharp.

"Who are you?" Akemi asked nervously, angry at himself when his voice cracked slightly. The figure smiled at him, twisting his face into a crooked grin.

"I'm your father. Hasn't your mother told you about me?" The oni asked, crouching down to Akemi's level. The boy stared in fear at the dark, pitiless eyes of the beast before him.

"N...no. She only told me that you were an oni." Akemi stammered, gulping as the oni locked gazes with him.

"Well now, we can't have that. A boy must always know their father." The oni tisked, then told the child. "My name is Revon. And what is your name?"

"I...I'm Akemi." The boy stumbled over his words, shivering under the cold gaze of Revon.

"Nice to meet you, Akemi." Revon spoke his name like he was testing the sound of it on his tongue, like an exotic spice. "We have much to talk about, I want to get to know you a little better. Tatsuo, can I have a moment alone, with my son?"

It wasn't a question, but Tatsuo still looked like she might object. Akemi looked at his mother imploringly, silently begging her not to leave him alone with this oni. But she just sighed and nodded, walking away to the other side of the pool, gazing in the opposite direction.

"Now, lets make one thing straight. This is the last time I want to see you. Don't seek me out, don't ask to see me again." Revon hissed, his tone suddenly harsh. Akemi backed away from his father, feet slipping on the rocky ground.

"But..but you're my father, you're supposed to care about me." Akemi stuttered desperately. All his life, Akemi had hoped that his father was someone he could talk to, maybe even help him understand his powers. Lately, he'd been experiencing spikes in his powers, often linked with emotions. And now, under the harsh gaze of his oni father, Akemi felt a small burst of his power escape.

A low rumble past through the ground, and two spikes of slate rose out of the ground, creating a wall between Revon and his son. Surprised, the oni stepped back. Akemi froze. _Oh, no. I'm not supposed to use my powers in front of anyone!_

"Well, well, well. What is this, Creation power?" Revon asked, touching the slate wall with his clawed hand, leaving scars in the rock. "Pathetic. I'd have hope that you would inherent my power. But I guess you're just a weakling."

"I can destroy!" Akemi exclaimed, desperate to impress his father. _Maybe if he cares about my power, he'll care about me._ Glaring at a pebble on the ground, Akemi though hard about it exploding. The pebble trembled, then burst into flames. Both father and son backed away from fire, blinking against the sudden light in the night. _This isn't what I wanted it to do!_

After a few seconds of bright flames, the fire died down. But instead of revealing the pebble, it revealed a stunned-looking mouse, with a flame coloured pelt. Akemi watched with numb fascination as the red mouse ran off into the night, leaving a trail of sparks in its wake.

"What...what was that?" Revon stared at the child in shock and fear. "You just transformed that rock...into a mouse!"

Akemi just nodded, not sure what to say. What he'd just done had been weird, but he'd done much stranger things with his powers in the past. But the greedy glint in his father's eyes made Akemi reluctant to reveal that fact.

"With power like yours, we could win the war. Come home with me, and you'll be a hero for the Oni!" Revon offered, moving closer to the scared child. Akemi instantly shook his head.

"No, I'm not part of the war. And my mother is a dragon, I don't want to fight against her!" Akemi protested, backing away and looking towards his mother, who was still sat a few metres away. "MUM!"

Lifting her scales head, the silver dragon turned to face her son. Seeing his fearful expression, she jumped to her feet and ran to his side, wrapping him in her tail protectively. Hissing at the oni, Tatsuo looked down at her son, who was hugging her tail.

"What's wrong, Akemi?" She asked gently, ignoring Revon, who tried to interrupt.

"He wanted me to fight against the Dragons." Akemi explained quietly, watching Revon with fear. Safe with his mother, Akemi just wanted to leave, to go home to the cave, with just his mum.

"Is that true! You tried to drag our son into the war!" Tatsuo snapped in outrage, hissing at the oni.

"I was just brainstorming. It was a stupid idea. Can we just go home now?" Revon dodged the question, already moving away. Tatsuo called after him.

"Good bye. Hope I see you again." Akemi was surprised by how kind his mother was being to this obviously evil person. As Revon walked away, his reply reached their ears.

"I hope not."

Akemi heard his mother sigh, then she began walking back to the cliff. Akemi scrambled onto her neck, closing his eyes as she scaled the cliff face. Looking back at his father, the child hoped that was the last he'd see of him.

Reaching the top, Akemi remained on his mother neck, too tired to walk all the way back. They journeyed in silence, and Akemi watched the stars as they floated overhead. A question surfaced in the child's mind.

"Mother, why do Oni and Dragon hate each other?" Akemi asked, holding her neck spines as she jumped over a small crevasse.

"The Oni can only destroy, so they must be stopped. If they ruled this world, it would be lost forever." Tatsuo replied simply. Akemi though hard about that statement, then replied.

"But if the Dragon ruled, wouldn't everyone have whatever they wanted, if they could just create it? Wouldn't that take away the meaning of life?" Akemi pondered. A world were nothing is hard to get sounded dull and boring. It didn't sound worth fighting for.

"Don't think too hard about it. Creation is the good in this world. We have to win the war to protect our world." She responded. Akemi nodded, then lay his head down to rest, still watching the stars. _I don't think either of the sides are worth fighting for, so what does my future hold?_

 **AN:** **Sorry this is late and bad. I have no excuse other than I was lazy. Sorry. But in this chapter, at least we got a first look a Revon, and learnt more about his relationship with Tatsuo. She needs to get out if that relationship!**

 **Well, this are heating up for Akemi. The chapters will get more serious and the time skips will shorten. This is the start of the main story. I have lots of ideas for how to incorporate the oni masks, but I'm not sure about the realm crystal or the golden weapons. The show states that the weapons were created by the First Spinjitzu Master in the golden peaks, but the weapons were also used to make Ninjago itself, where the golden peaks are. It's like the riddle of 'who came first, the chick or the egg.' If any of you have information on this, please help me.**

 **Please leave requests and review and follow.**

 **Bye**

 **Wyrenfire**


	5. Chapter 5

**AN:** **Hope you like the new chapter. Akemi is 15 now.**

 **Lego owns Ninjago**

Sat in the cool, shaded cave, Akemi found some relief from the blaring heat of the sun. After seven days of strong sunlight, the forest was baking. The animals were either hiding from the heat, or sleeping in the sun. Luckily, the cave provided the perfect protection from the heatwave. The teen was sat, leaning against the rock wall, enjoying the feel of the cold granite on his skin. Looking at small, silver stone in his hand, he let his mind wander.

Ever since the meeting with his father, Akemi had been worried about his powers. They were so random and uncontrollable, and some of the things he'd done really scared him. What if it was like his father said, maybe he was destructive as well. _I don't want to hurt anyone, ever!_

But part of him, the rebellious part, the angry part, wanted to use his destructive power. He could force the war to end, kill the leaders of the Dragon and the Oni, and rule over both worlds. His mother would be free to love Revon, and she wouldn't be ashamed of him. He could prove that being half-blooded wasn't a disadvantage, but a strength. _I'd be free, and powerful._

Shaking his head of those dark thoughts, Akemi pushed the vile ideas to the back of his mind. He'd never want to kill anyone. Everyone was important, and his powers didn't give him the right to play god with lives. Just because he could, doesn't mean he should. Life was, if nothing else, rare and wonderful. Akemi didn't want to use his life to destroy others.

Lost in thought, the teen jumped when the ivy screen parted, revealing his mother. Her scales were dull, and her eyes were heavy, but a wide smile crossed her face as she laid eyes on him. Rushing forward, Akemi wrapped his mother in a hug. She returned the hug, sighing happily.

"It's good to see you've been holding your own against this heat." Tatsuo commented, looking at the shaded cave and the bowls full of water, stacked in the corner. Akemi nodded, staying close to her scales, enjoying the feel of the cool silver scales.

"It was no problem. I just fetched water, and only left the cave at night." Akemi explained, silently proud of his maturity. In the last few months, his mother had begun to trust him more, letting him leave the cave and find his own food. This new freedom meant that he no longer had to sneak out to explore.

"Well done. I wish the dragons at home had that kind of sense. The whole tribe is complaining about the heat, blaming the Oni, for some reason!" Tatsuo sighed in exasperation, but smiled with good humour.

There was a moment of happy silence, in which Tatsuo walked further into the cave, placing a bag on the ground. As she opened it and revealed its contents, Akemi scrambled over to have a look. Inside were sheets of woven wool, soft as clouds.

"I thought I'd better get started on some new clothes for you, since you seem to be growing." Tatsuo explained, drawing out one of the woven sheets. It was undyed, but Akemi knew it would stay that way.

Ever since it became clear that he wasn't going to grow fur, or have scales to protect himself from the elements, his mother had taken to making him cloth items that kept him warm and safe. She wasn't a master at the art of sewing, so they weren't high quality, but Akemi didn't care. He'd often spent hours just watching her create the clothes, and he found the process fascinating.

The silver dragon sat down at one end of the cave, and began creating a new shirt for him. Akemi, not as easily entertained as he was when he was younger, began asking her questions, questions that had been biting at his mind for awhile.

"Mother, why do the Oni and the Dragon fight?" Akemi questioned, looking at his mother with eyes that begged for an answer.

"I've told you before. Oni is too destructive to live in this world. They cause only suffering. They can only take." Tatsuo recited the words told to every young dragon. "We are the good in the world. We can only create, and make this world better."

"But... sometimes creation can do harm. What if a dragon created a weapon, and killed with it? Is he still good?" Akemi pondered, wanting his mother to give him a good explanation. He didn't want to doubt her word, or the 'good' part of his heritage. "And sometimes destruction can be good. What if a boulder was about to crush someone, and an oni destroyed the boulder before that happened? Is he still evil?"

"Akemi..." Tatsuo sighed in exasperation and pity. "You shouldn't think so hard about these things. The world is made of two sides, Good and Bad. Dragon and Oni. You just have to except that."

"But how can I? I'm from both worlds. Am I good, or bad, if I can't be both?" Akemi snapped in frustration. He'd hoped that his mother would tell him that things weren't black and white, that he didn't need to be one or the other. But instead, she'd just increased his fear.

"Akemi, you are my son. Your Oni heritage means nothing." She replied sternly, glaring at the troubled teen. Then her gaze softened, and she nuzzled his head gently. "You are good, don't ever doubt that."

Akemi nodded at his mother's words, but didn't really take it in. Knowledge of his powers scared him, and he still knew so little about them. What if he was capable of more, of even greater feats? _I need to ask her about powers._

"Mother, what are the powers of the Dragon?" Akemi inquired, looking into her blue eyes. She smiled at the question, clearly thinking he'd dropped the previous conversation.

"Well, all dragons have the power to create, but in different ways, and with different levels of power." She began, continuing to sew his new clothes at the same time. "The lowest power of create is the power to create simple illusions. Then, there's the power to heal, replace, restore, grow, and of course, the power to create objects. And the highest power, the power that only the royal dragons have, is the power to bring back the dead. I have the power to restore."

"Cool! What about the Oni? Do they have different levels of power?" Akemi asked excitedly, invested in the conversation.

"Yes, I believe so. Though I don't know many of their powers. I know Revon had the power of explosions. And their leader has the power to kill anyone she looks at. I've also fought a few oni that had the power to disappear, or the ability to melt anything they touch." Tatsuo recalled, looking thoughtful. Akemi shivered upon hearing the Oni's powers. They sounded truly terrifying.

"Now, enough questions. I have to work on this." The silver dragon told him, holding up the unfinished shirt. "Go out and play, the sun's almost set."

"Okay, thanks mum!" Akemi cheered, leaving the cave on swift feet.

Once outside, the golden-eyed boy dashed into the forest, breathing in the warm air. The forest, heated by the day, was now alive with activity, as the inhabitants scrambled to make the most of the fleeting respite in the heatwave. Cold leaves brushed his arms and face as he ran deeper into the wood.

Arriving at a clearing, the teen looked above him, wary of a dragon attack. Being in open spaces always reminded him of his first adventure, and had no wish to repeat that experience. Certain that the sky was clear, Akemi sat down on the grass, feeling the heat of the day leaving the baked earth. Birds fluttered overhead, singing if the coming dusk.

Relaxing his body, Akemi let his gaze wander. He tried to calm himself, even his mind. But even in this lust, green world, he couldn't push his thoughts from his head. Doubts and fears confused him, leaving him restless.

"Maybe this is just part of growing up? Being confused and scared, not knowing your place in the world." Akemi pondered, speaking to no one but the empty air.

Was he an oni, or a dragon? Did he need to chose? Could he just be both? Akemi let these questions float in his head, searching for an answer. _Maybe I should just be neither. All the Oni and Dragon do is fight, I want to learn, to explore!_

Feeling a flame of anger race through his mind, Akemi's power reacted without his permission. Two nearby trees were reduced to ash, and fire lit the grass in the clearing. Not worried, Akemi just watched at the happy little flame danced in its new freedom, eating up the grass below it.

Reaching out, the boy touched the flame, and was surprised to feel no pain. Instead, a layer of ice spread from his hand, killing the fire. Sighing at the loss of the blaze, Akemi struck his hand in the air, not sure what that was going to accomplish.

"Ugh! I wish I could control my stupid powers. I wanted that flame to stay." Akemi exclaimed in frustration, dropping his hand to the ground. As he did so, a bolt of lightning struck the area in front of him, setting the grass ablaze again. _That wasn't what I meant, but I'll take it._

He watched the fire for a few more minutes, fascinated by its carefree and innocent dance. But under that beauty, Akemi knew that the grass was dying. _I guess even war can be beautiful, if you have the right perspective..._

"I should head home, mother will be worried." Akemi muttered, standing up and stretching his limbs. With a quick glance at the fire, the teen made a pile of dirt and sand cover the blaze, putting it out.

Trotting home, he felt slightly less angry and slightly more hopeful. Using his abilities, while dangerous, was thrilling. It helped take the weight off his chest, and he always felt glad afterwards. The forest was quiet and cool, dark now that the sun was set. The horizon had still had a milky orange glow to it, and the haze of twilight was just setting in. Hurrying home, Akemi reached the clearing outside the cave.

Despite his tried and distracted mind, he sensed that something was off. The air felt cold and unfriendly, and the dark was no longer calming, but mysterious. Edging his way forward, Akemi sniffed the air. But, as always, his nose was weak, and couldn't detect any new or threating smells. Taking uneasy and calculated steps, Akemi slowly approached the cave.

Once outside the ivy screen, the boy pushed the thick vines aside, stepping into the gloomy cave. Everything seemed the same as it was, so he crept deeper. Just as he was about to drop his guard, a voice sounded from the gloom. Akemi jumped a mile, readying his power, in case of a fight.

"I wondered when you'd be back. You really shouldn't stay out so long." Tatsuo scowled him gently, emerging from the shadows. In her hand was his new shirt, now dyed a faint blue. Recovering from his shock, the teen stared at her, eyebrows creased.

"Oh, yeah... I'm sorry mum, I'll be faster next time." He replied casually, still shell-shocked. After his racing heart calmed down, he reached out to see the new shirt. "I like its colour."

"Yes, I thought you might. I used some dried blue berries. It was supposed to be darker, but we didn't have that many in our supply." Tatsuo responded, smiling at her son admired the shirt. "And I made you this, for protection in the sun."

She handed him a flat, slightly cone shaped piece of wicker. It was made of reeds, similar to the baskets that she used to carry things, but this was more rounded and squashed. It was a perfect circle, and Akemi studied the fine detail that went into the weaving. He smiled at her, than placed it on his head. It was a perfect fit.

"Ohh, you look so grown up in that!" His mother exclaimed excitedly, hugging him quickly.

As his mother gazed at him in pride, Akemi noticed movement behind her. The ivy screen was shivering, and the boy could see the faint outline of a figure outside. Tensing, he drew back from the cave entrance, pulling his mother with him. The ivy moved again, and Tatsuo let out a cry of confusion.

"Who's out there? Are you friend or foe?" The silver dragon called the traditional greeting, one that demand a clear answer. Now both pressed against the back wall of the cave, Akemi felt his heart race again.

"Foe"

The dark voice replied, and the shadow outside grew. The beat of footsteps echoed on the rocky ground outside, and the ivy was pushed aside by a massive, clawed hand.

 **AN:** **Sorry for the cliff hanger! And I hope this chapter was worth the wait. This was mostly filler, and the base for the action. The next chapter will be full of drama and stuff, so don't worry.**

 **I'm sorry about not uploading all week, but I need a break. I've been doing some soul searching, and I need to focus on the important things in life. And sadly, as much as I love it, fanfiction isn't one of them. With only a few weeks to go until my GCSE's, I need to focus on study.**

 **But that doesn't mean I won't be writing. I wouldn't be able to stop myself. But my updates will be reserved for the weekends, and Fridays. Sorry, but this is what I have to do.**

 **Also, I've been suddenly attacked by the French TV show, Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir. I was inspired by their use of destruction as a super power for a hero. Do any of you watch this? My fave character is Cat Noir, his look just reminds me of Lloyd, when he's Adrian.**

 **Please review and follow.**

 **Bye**

 **Wyrenfire**


	6. Chapter 6

**AN:** **Hope you like the new chapter.**

 _ **Mentions of blood, not graphic.**_

 **Lego owns Ninjago**

" _Foe"_

 _The dark voice replied, and the shadow outside grew. The beat of footsteps echoed on the rocky ground outside, and the ivy was pushed aside by a massive, clawed hand._

 _..._

Letting out a strangled cry of fear, Akemi pushed himself against the cave wall, hiding behind the protection of his mother. Tatsuo hissed fiercely as the ivy screen parted and revealed a shadowed figure. The dark creature forced its way into the cave, and Akemi thought he saw two more figures moving around outside.

"Leave! You are trespassing on Dragon territory." The silver dragon snapped furiously, but her body trembled with fear. Tatsuo shot a burst of flames at the intruder, but the stranger merely raised a torch of wood, letting the dragon fire light it.

Now cast in a yellow-orange light, Akemi could make out the features of the figure. It was clearly an oni, with a green, disfigured face. Two pale spikes rose from its head, glinting in the weak fire light. Spindly legs supported a tall, thin body, wrapped in a dark cloak. In his hands, he held the torch, and a curved, bronze sword.

"Oh, I don't think I really care." The green oni sneered, then laughed, pointing at the growling dragon. "And even if I did care, you still won't be able to beat me. You can't even alert the patrols."

"I warn you. I'm a Captain. Don't come any closer!" Tatsuo growled desperately, expanding her chest and bearing her teeth. Akemi, still crouched behind his mother, shivered in terror. The green oni's eyes found his, and the cruel face twisted into a sickening smile.

"Such brave words for a traitor. I wonder what the Dragon King would do to you if he found your hatchling?" Pondered the dark figure before him. Akemi shrank back, wishing he could disappear. But even if he had that power, his heart was racing too fast for the boy to focus his mind.

"How...how do you know about Akemi?" Tatsuo exclaimed in shocked horror.

"Lets just say, a little bird told me." The oni cackled. Akemi froze, locked in fear, as the green-faced oni started forward, clawed hand reaching out to him.

"Leave him alone!" The silver dragon snapped, whipping her tail to pull the boy away from the oni's grasp. Teeth flashed before Akemi's eyes, and he watched in numb terror as his mother bit the oni's hand. Dark, burgundy blood oozed out of the wound, staining his mother's teeth.

"Argh!" Shouted the green oni, drawing back his injured hand. After inspecting the damage, he raised his yellow-black eyes, glaring at Tatsuo. "Oh, you horrid little worm!"

"I won't tell you again. Leave!" Tatsuo hissed, having gained some courage from her successful attack.

But, instead of backing away, the oni redoubled his efforts. Charging at the mother dragon, the green devil pushed her into the back of the cave, and the two of them wrestled. Spurred by adrenaline and fear, Akemi jumped out of the way, scrambling to the entrance of the cave in an effort to avoid the massive creatures as they fought. Tumbling out of the cave, the boy lay on the grass, watching the cave in terror. _Is mother alright? Should I help? But I don't know how to fight._

As these thoughts raced in his mind, Akemi didn't notice the two creatures beside him. In his haste to avoid the green oni, he had forgotten the shadows he'd seen outside. And now, those shadows loomed over him, hidden by the darkness.

Striking out like a cat catching a mouse, one of the shadowed oni grabbed Akemi, holding him down. The golden-eyed boy let out a squeak of surprise as he suddenly found himself trapped under the clawed, cold hand of an oni.

"Let me go!" Akemi struggled, trying to sound fierce, but his voice rose in pitch as fear overwhelmed him. The two shadowed figures laughed.

"This is the weapon we had to find? But it's so small and squishy?" One of the oni questioned, and Akemi flinched as a claw poked at his back.

"Should we let it go?" The other oni asked, his voice low and confused. The other oni laughed.

"No, Taichi, we need to give it to the Queen. She will reward us for this." The other oni explained gently, then peered down at Akemi. At the close range, the boy could faintly make out the features of the oni.

The face was red, deep red. And two short, white horns protruded from its head. The face was sharp and more symmetrical than the other oni that Akemi had seen. Its bright yellow eyes flickered in the darkness, studying the boy.

"But, brother, it asked us?" The oni, the one called Taichi, asked innocently.

"Uhh, we've been over this. Don't listen to the enemy, they just want to trick you." The red oni gently corrected his brother. Akemi struggled again, hopping to escape while Taichi was distracted. But it was futile, and all he achieved was a bruise on his back.

The two oni stood in silence, watching the cave. While they had been talking, the roars and screechs from the cave had grown in ferocity. The red-faced oni leaned forward, peering into the cave cautiously.

Akemi flinched as a scream echoed from the cave, followed by fiery hissing. The red oni drew back from the cave in a flash, pushing his brother away as well. As the two oni scrambled away, Akemi felt the hand on his back disappear. Wasting no time, the boy jumped up and ran, heading for the forest.

But just as he reached the tree line, the green oni and the silver dragon tumbled out of the cave, landing in a pile of flailing limbs. Turning back to the cave, Akemi watched in horror as the green oni slashed at his mother, staining her glowing scales red. The torch lay discarded on the grass, still burning.

In the new light, Akemi could see the other oni more clearly. The red oni and his brother were crouched on the opposite side of the fight, watching with interest. Akemi looked to the forest, then back at the cave. His mother had risen now, and was blasting jets of flames at the green oni, burning his ebony cloak. _I need to stay! I have to help my mother!_

But as he approached the battle, he couldn't bring himself to attack. Though his heart told him to join the fight, his mind was filled with a cloudy fear that told him to run, to hide. Stood there, shivering with cold and fear, Akemi watched as his mother fought for her life, and he could do nothing. _Ahh, you're so stupid, just attack! My mother needs me!_

As Akemi wrestled with these thoughts, the two fighters broke apart. They faced each other, both panting. Blood, some light red, some dark, dripped from their wounds. Akemi was once again hidden behind his mother, and he'd never felt so relieved, or foolish. _I should have helped..._

"Just hand over the boy, and you can live." Hissed the green-faced oni, barring his blood stained sword. Tatsuo, though exhausted, stood with her head high, fangs bared.

"No. Why are you doing this? We mean no harm to the Oni." Tatsuo snapped, glaring at the oni. The two other oni had now joined the green one, standing on either side of him.

"You might not, but he will, one day." The green devil exclaimed, pointing at Akemi. The boy shivered, shrinking back in fear. "And as for why. Well, let's just say that the Queen needs new weapons."

"If you want him, you can take him over my dead body!" Screeched Tatsuo, flaring her wings. The oni merely chuckled.

"I plan to." He replied smoothly, holding his sword at the ready.

"Akemi, get back. Hide, run." Akemi's mother whispered, nudging him towards the forest, fear in her eyes. Numb, Akemi felt a childish need to complain. But at the look in his mother's eyes, he merely nodded, dashing away.

Once again, the night air was filled with the sounds of battle. Reaching the forest, Akemi crouched down behind a log, catching his breath. The adrenaline was fading, leaving the boy exhausted and emotional. At every screech or roar from his mother, the golden-eyed boy sobbed. _What do I do?! I need to help._

But even the idea of racing into the fight made his blood freeze. Images of blood and pain raced through his head, building his terror. Using the last of his courage to peek over the log, Akemi felt his stomach drop at the sight he was greeted with.

The silver dragon was pinned under the oni, held down by her limbs. Taichi, who Akemi could now see had a yellow face, was holding down her tail, as she tried to wrap it around the green oni. With her legs held down by the red oni, Tatsuo was vulnerable to the green oni, who now held his sword at her throat.

"It's such a shame it came to this. You could've lived, if only you'd given us the child." The green oni tutted, smirking at the defeated dragon. Tatsuo growled in defiance.

"You'll never take him! He's not a pawn in this war! He'll never fight for you!" The silver dragon snapped, blood flowing from a cut above her eyes. The green oni chuckled darkly, pressing the blade against her neck.

"Nice. Are those your last words?" As the green oni spoke, he raised the blade, preparing for the killing blow. Akemi watched in numb horror. _I can't let this happen! She needs me!_

Just as the blade was swung down, the small boy rammed into the oni, knocking the blade to the side. Akemi landed on the blood stained grass, winded. The oni cried out in surprise, and the blade missed the silver dragon's neck, and instead, slashed her belly. The cut was deep, and pale dragon blood flowed onto the grass. Tatsuo let out a cry of pain and shock, then lay still.

"Mother!" Akemi screamed, dashing past the startled oni to reach his fallen mother. Her sides rose and fell, reassuring him that she was alive. But her breaths were shaky and weak, barely stirring the air. Akemi felt numb, watching as her life-blood soaked his clothes.

"A...Akemi...?" Tatsuo whispered, one blue eye fluttering open to gaze at her child. He let out a sob, holding her head in his arms as best he could. Her cooling scales chilled his skin, and stained his hands red.

"Mother...?" Akemi asked, hoping for a reply. Hoping that she would tell him it was alright, and that she was fine. But the reality of the situation was crushing him, making his faint hope painful. "Mother..., I'm here..."

"I know...just...don't leave..., please..." Tatsuo breathed out weakly, her blue eye clouding over as Akemi watched it. Not sure how to reply, the boy lowered his head, touching foreheads with her. She smiled lightly, seeming to breath easier. Helplessness rushed over his mind, leaving him angry. Angry at how little he could do, and how nothing could stop this.

"Well, this is very touching, but I have business to do." The scornful voice of the green oni reached Akemi's ears, sparking a raging fire in his mind. The oni walked towards him, kicking Tatsuo's tail aside as if it were leaf-litter. "Come here little hatchling, you're mine now!"

"Never! Get away from her!" Akemi shouted, facing the approaching oni. Tatsuo flinched at the kick from the green oni, and he clenched his jaw in anger. "Get away from me!"

"Now, now, let's not get aggressive. You don't want to die too, do you?" The oni hissed threateningly. But, surprisingly, Akemi felt no fear. _This oni isn't important. I need to stay with my mother._

Akemi felt the oni get closer, and watched as the clawed hand reached out to touch him. Feeling something snap inside, the boy threw out his hands, channelling his rage into his powers.

The green oni got only a second to react, and the sudden fear that crossed the devils face left Akemi with a sense of twisted satisfaction. Power raced up his arms, exploding out of his hands. The blast sent the oni flying back, striking a tree with his spine. Akemi watched the limp oni, and was angered to see that it was still conscious.

"Don't stand there like fools. Get him!" Screeched the green oni as he scrambled to his feet. The two other oni raced forward at his command, armed with daggers.

The red oni reached him first, slashing wildly in an attempt to hit him. But Akemi was still furious, and he merely glared at the oni before it was thrown back onto the grass.

But while the boy was focused on his brother, the yellow oni slashed at the child's arm, leaving a long, shallow cut. Surprised and pained by the attack, Akemi screamed, and his hand pointed at Taichi. With merely a seconds thought, the boy pushed his power, snapping the oni's neck. The yellow oni fell to the ground, limp and cold.

"You killed him! You murdered my brother!" The red oni raged in fury, racing at the boy again. But the green-faced one stopped him, holding him back. The red oni struggled to reach the child, tears streaming down his face.

"You fool, he'll just kill us too. Lets get out of here!" The green oni snapped urgently, pulling the raging oni away. The red one sobbed, and screamed abuse and revenge at Akemi as he was led away. Soon, the oni were gone.

Faced with what had just happened, Akemi sobbed into his hands. The tears mixed with the dragon blood, leaving his face a mess of red. The body of the oni lay nearby, but he couldn't bare to look at it. He was a killer. _I did this... my powers let me kill someone. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. I never wanted to hurt anyone..._

Traumatized by his actions, Akemi feared the anger that was still rushing in his veins. Cold rage filled his mind, trying to convince him that the oni deserved it. A weak cough bought him out of his dark thoughts.

"Akemi...,don't cry..." Tatsuo breathed, struggling to get the words out. Akemi scrambled back over to her, tears still running down his face.

"Mother...I'm sorry... I didn't mean to..., I'd never kill..." The boy sobbed, hugging his dying mother. She gazed lovingly at him, reaching up with a one talon to gently wipe away his tears.

"Shh, it's okay...shh. You did... nothing wrong..." Tatsuo assured him. "Those oni...don't deserve your tears."

"But you do! Why are you leaving me! I don't...I don't want to...to be alone!" Akemi cried to his mother, feeling numb with grief.

"I'll always be with you... always. I know you will do great things...wonderful things." Tatsuo breathed out weakly, with a soft smile on her face. "Just remember to...stay true to yourself. Never fight someone else's war... fight for what you believe in."

"I will... I will. I promise." The boy sobbed, holding her head as she struggled to breath. His mother whispered one last thing, and Akemi had to lean in to hear.

"I love you, son...and I'm so proud... I know you can survive..." Tatsuo whispered to her son, then let out her last breath. Her chest fell still, and her eyes glazed over. She was gone

 **AN: Argh!** **I killed her. And I was growing attached to her... Hope you liked this dramatic chapter. And I hope at least one of you felt sad reading this, I sure did.**

 **Also, I think I made it too obvious how I'm going to incorporate the oni masks in this story. But hopefully you didn't guess. And keep quiet if you did.**

 **I'm currently snowed into my house. Which is crazy, because I normally never get snow like this. I'm loving it.**

 **Can't wait for the next episode of season 8. And tomorrow I'll try to update 'The first days', but that might not happen until Sunday.**

 **Please leave requests and review and follow.**

 **Bye**

 **Wyrenfire**


	7. Chapter 7

**AN:** **Hope you like the new chapter. This isn't as sad as the last one.**

 **Lego owns Ninjago**

* * *

" _I love you, son...and I'm so proud... I know you can survive..." Tatsuo whispered to her son, then let out her last breath. Her chest fell still, and her eyes glazed over. She was gone._

 _..._

His mother was dead...

Dead. Gone. Never coming back.

Part of Akemi wanted to scream. To rage at the unfairness and cruelty of it all. He wanted to find that oni and kill him, just as he had killed his mother. _He deserves it,_ the distraught boy told himself, _he should pay..._

But another part of him, the desperate part, just wanted to go back in time. If he could go back, and tell his past self to join the fight before it was too late... Or he could stop the oni ever reaching their cave in the first place... _I should have done something!_

And with those two extremes fighting inside of him, all that was left was a terrified, grief-stricken boy. The young human was crouched beside his mother's body, staring blankly into the sky. Like a fallen moon, Tatsuo's body shone in the rising sunlight, scales glinting like quicksilver. To one side of the clearing, lay the cold body of the yellow-faced oni, neck lying at an awkward angle.

Nothing mattered anymore. He didn't want to think about the future, or the past. Akemi just wanted to stay numb. Feelings hurt, and the golden-eyed child never wanted to feel again. _What's point in trying, I'll never see my mother again... she was the only one who loved me..._

Curling up with a sob, Akemi felt the dams break. Just the thought of his mother sent him into a shaking wreck. Memories of his mother, of her caring blue eyes, her gentle hugs, the way she would hold him to tell him he was safe, and all those days spent playing outside the cave. All just dust in the wind now. Only he had those memories, and when he was gone...no one would remember her.

Looking up at the sky through tear-blurred eyes, he was surprised to see how light it had gotten. The sun was rising, just as it did every day. The sky was flooded with new light, and the birds began their songs, just as always. It was like nothing had changed, like a great dragon hadn't breathed its final breath. Like a young boy wasn't now alone in the world.

Watching the forest wake up, oblivious to the horror of last night, Akemi felt angry. _Did she mean nothing to the world! Am I the only one grieving? Am I just supposed to carry on and forget her, just like the rest of the world has?!_

"Well, I'm not going to act like you never happened!" Akemi told his mother, gazing at her glazed eyes. "I promise, I'll try to be the son you wanted me to be. I'll live my life in tribute to you, and I'll never forget you, mother." Akemi placed his forehead on her brow, gazing into her empty eyes. Slowly, he carefully closed her eyes, hiding the blue orbs. Gazing at her now, he could almost pretend she was sleeping.

Akemi sat back, reluctant to leave, but knowing that the Oni may well return with reinforcements. But no matter how much he thought about the risks of staying, he couldn't bring himself to abandon his mother out here, vulnerable to scavengers.

Conflicted and scared, the boy walk to the edge of the clearing, trying to find something to hide his mother with. But he could only find twigs and leaves, not nearly big enough to hid a full-grown dragon.

 _Snap_

The sound of a foot on a brittle twig alerted Akemi to the large creature nearby. Staying hidden in the forest, the boy slowly crept back to his mother. Seeing the shadow moving out into the clearing where his mother lay, Akemi froze, standing still at the edge of the tree line. Stifling his breath, the boy silently watched as the newcomer approached the dragon corpse.

Fearing it was a scavenger trying to get an easy meal, Akemi tensed, ready to attack the stranger. But as the light hit the creature, he recognised it. It looked different in the light. Less menacing, not as dark or chilling to look at. His black cloak was actually a dull grey, and his claw-like hands were smaller than they had seemed last time Akemi had met him. It was Revon. His father.

Backing into a crouch with a soft gasp of surprise, Akemi watched in stunned confusion as the orange-faced oni stumbled into the clearing. Revon let out a strangled cry as he fell to his knees beside the body of Tatsuo. The oni reached out and laid one hand on the silver dragon's head.

"No, no...no. Tatsuo...," Revon whispered in a distraught voice, yellow eyes widening in incomprehension. Akemi watched in numb fear as the oni bowed his head to the dead dragon, grief clear on his face. "I...I'm sorry... th...they were supposed...supposed to leave you...!"

Confusion only growing, the golden-eyed boy crept forward, as silently as he could. Seeing his father, someone he'd labelled as evil, sobbing over his mother corpse was shocking. Part of him wanted to run out there now and push Revon away from his mother, but another part of him nursed the foolish hope that maybe he'd just found someone to help him. _Should I got and talk to him?_

"You...you shouldn't hav...have been involved. They...they only wanted him..., I made them...I told them not to hurt you!" Revon's choked apology was the only sound in the clearing. Even the birds had fallen silent at the sight of the demon's tears and cries of anger and misery. The orange-faced oni remained still, crouched by the body of his love, unmoving and grief-stricken. Even though his words made little sense to the boy, Akemi still felt the need to talk to his father.

Hesitantly, Akemi approached the oni, deliberately stepping on a brittle twig to announce his arrival. He felt that, if he was going to confront his father, he shouldn't start by surprising him. _I hope this is a good idea...but what other choice do I have?_

At the sound of his movements, Revon raised his head, quickly turning to glare in shock at the boy. As he studied the boy, his eyes flashed with a series of emotions. They turned from surprise, to confusion, to frustration, and finally settled on a cold, calm gaze, like ice over a raging river.

"What are you doing here?" Revon asked, his voice level and civil. Akemi, unused to this kind of reception from oni, didn't reply for a few seconds, but when he did, he tried to sound confident.

"I'm protecting my mother! What are you doing here?" Akemi repeated Revon's question, crossing his arms and standing tall, trying to look tough in front of the much larger creature.

"Me? I was just passing by and thought I'd check in on you and your mother," Revon responded calmly, then turned to look at Tatsuo with a drawn face. "clearly, I'm too late to save her."

Akemi listened to his father's words. They seemed heartfelt and honest, but something was still off about him. However, the boy was too glad to find a seemingly nice person so soon after losing his mother, that he didn't want to think about it. Instead, he just nodded in reply, looking at his mother's body again.

"Um, are you going to bury her? Or were you just going to leave her for the crows?" Revon asked suddenly after a few minutes of silent, private grief. Akemi looked at him in confusion.

"Bury?" He asked, gazing from his father to his mother.

"Yes, bury. It's what we do to protect the dead bodies from scavengers," Revon explained, standing closer to Akemi. "oni always bury their dead, normally in caves or mountains."

"But, she is a dragon...?" Akemi questioned, confused by this sudden information. _Should I have buried her as soon as she died? Is that what she wanted?_

"Well, yes, but I'm sure they do the same thing," Revon assured him, then pondered. "or maybe they burn the bodies? I'm sure I heard that somewhere..."

"Let's bury her, then set fire to it! We could use your silly little cave." Revon suddenly exclaimed, coming to a decision. Akemi frowned, but didn't protest. If this was how Dragon and Oni respected the dead, then it was what they should do.

So the two went about dragging the silver dragon corpse up to the cave, using vines to aid them. After almost two hours of hard work, they finally reached the cave, shoving the dragon inside. It had been surprisingly hard to move a dragon of that size.

Stepping back into the cave, Akemi was once again filled with a feeling of numb disbelief. His mother's body was laid out in the cave, carefully arranged to look like she was merely sleeping. The boy suddenly wanted to curl up next to her and pretend this had never happened. That his mother was still alive, and that they were spending an afternoon napping, just like they used to. He let out a small sob, wanting nothing more than to be back in this cave, when she was alive. When he was safe with her, and loved. But no, he was alone, stuck with a father he barely knew, lost.

"You ready, kid?" Revon called from outside the cave, looking in with his glowing yellow eyes. Akemi nodded, dashing out of the cave.

Revon looked down at the clearing, a frown on his face. He turned to Akemi as the kid exited the cave. "Do you think we should bury him too?" He asked, jerking his clawed hand at the discarded body of the yellow-faced oni. Akemi wrinkled his nose.

"Why? He tried to kill me!" Akemi protested, not sure if he wanted to go near the dead oni. It only served to reminded him that he was a killer, and that his power was dangerous. He deeply regretted killing the oni, but he didn't think he could stomach burying it with his mother. "We could make a separate grave later?"

"Sure, okay." Revon agreed, turning back to the cave. "Okay kid, use your powers to start a fire." The oni told him, handing him a branch.

Staring at the branch, Akemi felt a trill of fear. He didn't want to use his powers again, not so soon after last time. It wasn't what he wanted to do, but he knew that this was the only way to start the fire for his mother's burial. _I'll do it for you, mother._ The boy stared hard at the branch, imagining it bursting into flames.

Unlike the last time he tried his in front of his father, this time actually worked. Soon, the branch was topped with a merry little flame, glowing in the afternoon sun. Revon took the burning branch from Akemi's hands, inspecting it for a bit before tossing it into the cave, letting it land on the dry bedding that still lay there.

Akemi watched the hungry flames eat the bedding, along with a few of his old clothes. Not wanting to see the flames eat his mother too, Akemi used his power to collapse the roof of the cave, burying his mother forever. Head down, the young boy tried to hide his tears from Revon.

"You know kid, no one's ever truly gone. We Oni believe that dead is just a new change, a new journey," Revon quietly explained, gazing at the cave. "destruction is just a change of purpose. You know, like a boulder turning into thousands of small grains of sand. They're still useful, and still made of the same stuff, just with a new life."

"Really? Mother always told me that death was the end." Akemi replied forlornly, still shell-shocked by the events of the last twenty four hours. He just wanted to sleep, but Revon's words sounded interesting. The sky darkened as the sun began to set.

"Yeah, dragons always think everything has a beginning and an end. They like to see the world in black and white, good or bad. Thing that upset them or hurt them, are instantly classed as evil," Revon gently told the boy. "but they don't understand that nothing is that simple. The world is grey, a mix of good and evil. Nothing is destroyed or created, only changed."

They fell silent, gazing up as the sun ended its journey across the sky. Akemi's eye lids were heavy, and he found himself leaning on his father, feeling the soft cloth of his cloak. Revon didn't push him away, and even laid part of the cloak over the boy, protecting him from the cold night wind.

"Where is mum now?" Akemi asked, half awake. Revon started at the question, looking down at the child, but upon seeing his innocent gold eyes, the orange-faced oni began to explain.

"Well, my people believe that we are all made of two separate things. Our physical bodies, and our spirits. So, when we die, our physical bodies return to the earth, while our spirits rise into the sky, to light the night for future generations. Each star is a spirit, and the brighter the star, the purer the spirit."

Akemi absorbed this information, gazing in awe at the new night sky. Learning this, he now had a new respect for the stars, and hoped his mother was up there. He traced the sky with his eyes, and he soon saw a star he was sure he'd never seem before. It was bright, and seemed to be looking down at him. He could almost imagine it was his mother's spirit, watching him from above, her gaze filled with love. A sense of calm ran through his body, wrapping the boy in a cloak of comfort.

Still gazing at the star, Akemi let his eyes slip closed. Just as he fell asleep, Akemi smiled at the star. _Goodbye mother, I know you haven't left me, and I will always see you in the stars. One day, we'll be together again._

* * *

 **AN:** **Too sad? Not sad enough? I hope this chapter was good. I took longer than normal to write it because of exams.**

 **In this chapter, I tried to get Oni's in a more positive light. Akemi has to learn that the world isn't black and white, and that both creation and destruction are needed. Hope you liked Revon's explanation.**

 **Also, spoilers for season 8. I love the new episode! It was dramatic and cool. Also, do you think 'Stitches' by Shawn Mendes is a good song for season 8 Lloyd. I think so.**

 **Please leave requests and review and follow.**

 **Bye**

 **Wyrenfire**


	8. Chapter 8

**AN:** **Hope you like the new chapter.**

 **Lego owns Ninjago**

* * *

Still gazing at the star, Akemi let his eyes slip closed. Just as he fell asleep, Akemi smiled at the star. _Goodbye mother, I know you haven't left me, and I will always see you in the stars. One day, we'll be together again._

...

Light rainfall woke Akemi, the cold water dripping gently on his sensitive cheeks. Rubbing his face to remove the drizzle, the boy blinked at the new day. The sun had risen slightly above the treeline, basking the mountainside in light and warmth.

The steady downpour of rain blurred the sky, but Akemi could still make out a rainbow glistening above him. His thoughts ran back to his mother, and the first time he'd seen a rainbow. She'd picked him up so he could look closely at the colourful mix of rain and sunlight. The boy smiled now at the memory, though it still hurt to think of his mother.

"The drought is over, thank goodness." Akemi whipped his head to the side as Revon spoke, only just remembering that his father was here. The orange oni was stood a few paces away, gazing over at the distant mount Ninjaro, the home of the dragons. "We need to move soon."

"Why?" Akemi asked passively, not wanting to leave his home, yet understanding that it might not be safe anymore. But even that knowledge didn't quiet the childish voice in his head that only wanted stay by his mother. Revon didn't look at him, just gestured towards the Dragon lands.

"They'll have noticed that Tatsuo isn't there. She was a Captain, and her General will have been expecting her to report to him in the morning." Revon explained slightly urgently, beginning to walk down the hillside.

Akemi scrambled after him, trying to keep up with his longer strides. Now that the fresh rain had reawakened the land, flowers and leaves looked more alive, shining to greet the new day. The air was crisp and cool, heavy with the scent of rainfall. After long days of drought, this was a welcomed sight for the forest's inhabitants.

On the other hand, Akemi didn't see this a cheerful moment. Sure, it was nice to no longer be melting in the dry sunlight, but the end of the drought only served to remind him that he was in a new world. A world without his mother. It was strange to think that only a few days ago, he was spending a lazy summer morning with his mother, without a care in the world. That happiness and security seemed like a fanciful dream now, as he trudged after his father, mud splashing his legs.

Forcing himself not to cry again, Akemi pushed the memories of his mother to the side. He didn't want to seem weak and overly emotional, fearing his father may reconsider looking after him. _I need to focus on surviving, not grieving._

The two creatures reached the foot of the mountain, and were greeted by the sight of the dead, yellow-faced oni. Scavengers had already taken claim to the body, shown by the bite makes that littered the corpse. Wrinkling his nose at the rancid smell, Akemi felt nausea rise in his stomach. Revon's only reaction was to frown slightly, then continue on.

Akemi looked between his father and the dead oni, voicing the question on his tongue. "Wait, are we just leaving him here?"

"I guess. I mean, what else can we do? The scavengers have had at him, so it's too late to bury him." Revon explained, confused by the boy's reaction. The oni could see no reason for them to stay near the body, since it was too late to do anything.

"But...doesn't he need a burial? You said all Oni were buried when they die." Akemi protested, uneasy about the thought of just leaving this oni to the forest's inhabitants. Guilt for the yellow oni's death still remained, and he didn't want to disrespect the oni's death wishes as well.

"Look, kid, we need to move, and soon. We don't have time for you to be sentimental!" Revon lost his waning patience and snapped at the boy, eyes glowing with frustration.

Akemi, where he might once have flinched away from the oni, stood his ground, arms crossed and gold eyes narrowed. "No, we need to bury him. It'll only take a minute."

"Fine, whatever. But I'm not helping." The black-cloaked oni huffed, sitting down under a nearby tree, watching with resided acceptance.

Glad that it hadn't ended in a fight with his father, Akemi set to work. Just looking at the body, he could tell it was too big for him to move. So, after some brainstorming, the young human decided that the best way to bury it was to pile rocks on it.

Revon watched with some amusement as the small boy tracked back and forth between the body and the mountainside, hauling rocks along. As much fun as it was to watch the silly child drag pebbles to the oni corpse, Revon was painfully aware of the passing time. When the sun was close to its peak, the orange-faced oni intervened.

"Why don't you just use your powers? Then maybe you could finish on this side of the century." Revon grumbled to the tired child, taking the granite rock Akemi was holding out of his hands, and setting it to one side.

"Oh, yeah..." Akemi frowned, feeling stupid for not thinking of that sooner. He turned his odd golden eyes to the pile of rocks he'd collected, ready to use his powers to move them over the oni's body. But, as before, he felt a reluctance to call upon his powers, remembering, in gruesome detail, how his powers had killed this oni in the first place. The cut on his arm, now dry and healing, served as a painful, physical reminder of the damage his anger could do to others.

"What are you waiting for?" Revon's irritated question snapped Akemi's attention back to him, lowering his face as his cheeks burned with shame.

"I... I don't want to use my powers..." the boy mumbled, ashamed and scared to admit his fear to the oni before him. "I killed...I don't want to do that again..."

Revon frowned in frustration and mild confusion. He towered over the child, eyes inches from his face, as he responded. "Look kid, this world is kill or be killed, especially for you. You'll want to get over that moral fear soon, or you're gonna die."

Scared and disturbed by his father's reply, Akemi took a few steps back. Everything he'd learnt from his mother told him that killing was bad, so why did Revon think it was okay. _Maybe Oni don't see death the same way dragons do? Or are Oni really evil?_

Not wanting to anger his father further, the boy silently turned back to the dead oni and the rocks, focusing on the constant flame of power and energy that lay in his chest. Gently pushing some of the energy out and over to the rocks, Akemi willed the boulders to rise, like the spine of some ancient creature.

The rocks lowered themselves onto the dead oni, locking together effortlessly, creating an impenetrable blanket over the yellow-faced oni. Task complete, Akemi released his hold on the rocks, letting them settle into secure positions. Seeing the completed tomb, Akemi felt a sense of relief and closure.

"Travel swift and find your rest, Taichi of the Finador clan." Revon spoke softly, touching one hand to the pile of rocks. The boy, ever curious, couldn't help but ask questions after that sudden information.

"You knew him?" Akemi questioned his father, as the oni moved way from the tomb and headed into the forest. Scrambling after him, the boy waited for his answer.

"Um, not really. He never really talked to anyone but his brother. They were inseparable, and I wasn't desperate to be their friend." Revon grumbled casually, keeping a swift pace to his travel, long legs eating up the meters. Akemi wasn't so luck, and had to jog or run to keep up.

"Okay, but what did you mean by 'Finador'?" Akemi badgered him, not content with the silence that followed them as they walked.

"Finador is just one of the clans. All Oni have a clan that they are either born to, or marry into. I think there are twenty-seven clans in total." Revon reluctantly explained, not looking down at the boy that ran alongside him.

"Cool, I never knew that!" Akemi commented, storing that information in his memory. Another question formed on his tongue, and he couldn't stop it from slipping out. "what clan do you belong to?"

Now Revon seemed very reluctant to disclose this info. The oni's jaw tensed, and his yellow eyes narrowed. Not sensing that he'd stepped on a touchy subject, Akemi continued to repeat the question as they trekked through the forest.

"Will you stop talking!" Revon snapped angrily, turning to face the boy for the first time since they'd began walking. Looking back down the way they'd come, Akemi was surprised to find that he could no longer see the mountainside where his mother was buried.

"I just want to know. You said that Oni were born into their clans, so the clan you're in is also my clan." Akemi defended, glaring boldly at his father. Knowledge of what he was capable of chased his fear of his father away. _I could beat him with my eyes closed...but I wouldn't._

"I have no clan! And neither do you!" Revon hissed, turning away from Akemi and marching on, leaving the boy silent. Curiosity only peaked by his outburst, Akemi dashed after his father, new questions racing to his tongue. Against his basic survival instincts, he voiced them.

"Why don't you have a clan? Did they kick you out? Were you ever in a clan?" Akemi's string of inquires was cut short by Revon grabbing him in one of his clawed hands, and holding him to the ground. The orange-faced oni wasn't pushing hard, but Akemi still felt pebbles dig into his skin. Glaring at his father, the boy tried to struggle free.

"Will you just shut up! Okay?" Revon exclaimed in exasperation, lowering his head to look his son in the eye. "I don't want to talk right now. We need to focus on getting to Oni territory."

Despite the angry oni in his face, Akemi blurted out. "Oni? Why Oni land? I don't want to go there!" Akemi protested violently, shoving Revon's hand away. Just the thought of entering Oni territory sent shivers down his spine. "their queen just sent those soldiers to kill my mother! They'll kill me on sight."

"No, I don't think they will." Revon told him, gazing up at the sky. The sun was past its mid-point, and was now sinking. Revon stood back up again, moving to continue along the path. "and it's the only safe place for us. Dragons will kill us if they see us."

"What about the Veins?" Akemi added, following after his father again. He remembered the Veins from his mother's basic lessons in geography. They were strips of unclaimed land that bordered both territories. If he remembered correctly, the nearest one was to the South, by the coast and the Arrida desert.

"Um, the Veins are too far." Revon seemed to struggle for a reason not to head for the Vein, making Akemi frown at his weak and probably incorrect excuse. "we need to get to safety soon."

Still doubtful and wary, Akemi was reluctant to follow Revon as he walked away. But as the shadows of the forest seemed to grow around him, Akemi abandoned his misgivings and dashed after him, not ready to be alone. Revon didn't seem to notice him catch up, but Akemi swore he spotted the dark-cloaked oni's shoulders relax as the boy arrived.

The rest of the day consisted of walking; long, painful, endless walking. Akemi had never travelled so far before, at least not on his own two feet. By the end of the day, his soft feet were aching and sore, covered in scraps and cuts from the rocks and thorns that littered the floor. _I just want sleep! Or someone to carry me!_

By sunset, they'd reached the edge of the forest, and were now faced with the cold, rocky plains of Oni land. In the dim light, Revon was reluctant to go on in the dark, and instead led his son to a nearby cave. Stepping inside, the boy eagerly found a comfortable spot at the back of the cave, relieved to rest his aching limbs. Instead of joining him, Revon stayed by the entrance of the cave, looking out into the night.

Alone in the dark cave, Akemi tried to sleep, he really did. But no matter how he lay down, he couldn't get comfortable. The gloom of the cave was also a painful reminder of his mother, and the home he'd left behind. The surroundings seemed so familiar, but looking closely revealed that this was a very different cave. It smelt different, and it was empty of any familiar signs of home.

Giving up on sleep, the boy crept out of the cave to sit beside his father. The sky was now ebony, lit only by a faint few stars. Clouds still threatened rain, making the moon look smoky and dark. Cold winds raced through the rocky landscape, singing a haughty tune as they travelled by the spears of rock. Revon's face was hard, with a fixed stare into the night.

"Go to sleep, son." Revon grumbled, not looking at the boy beside him. Akemi felt his heart warm at being called 'son', but he was reluctant to follow his instructions.

"I can't sleep." the boy mumbled, looking up at his father with hopeful eyes. "mother used to tell me stories when I couldn't sleep."

"Did she now?" Revon responded in a bored, slightly sarcastic tone. But Akemi wasn't put off.

"Can you tell me a story?" Akemi asked hopefully, watching his father carefully. "can you tell me how you and mother met?"

"Fine." Revon relented, sitting down and looking at the boy. Akemi settled down too, listening eagerly as the oni began the story.

"It was a few years ago, back when Dragon and Oni were fighting for Turipes Pass. I was just a soldier, under the command of my captain. He sent me and my group to meet an incoming group of dragons, who were trying to flank the main armies."

Akemi didn't really understand the battle terminology, but the basic idea was understood. He waited for the next part. Revon drew a breath, and continued, glancing out into the night at random intervals.

"We met the dragons as they flew over a small canyon, which was know for striix owls. Striix owls are like regular owls, only larger and deadlier. When the dragons flew to meet us, their roars disturbed the nesting striix, causing them to fly up and attack. It was mayhem. Both of the groups were trying to fight off the owls." Revon continued his story, eyes looking into the distance, or back in time. "I was being surrounded by maybe six owls, when your mother flew in to help me. I still remember the way she fought off those owls with me, even though we were enemies. I think I fell for her then."

"We lost each other as the battle went on, now that the striix were gone, but I still hoped to see her again. As luck will have it, I did." Revon explained, smiling gently at the memory. "it was near the end of the battle, and most of the armies were dead or injured. I was sent to look for survivors of the Oni army that needed medical attention. I didn't expect to see a dragon, let alone the same one that saved me, lying on the outcrop of a canyon. She was injured, and she couldn't fly or climb up. I decided, and I don't know why, to help her up. Once she was free, she thanked me, and surprisingly, asked to see me again. I didn't even think to say no."

"What happened then?" Akemi asked, disappointed that the story was over. He still wanted more details and answers as to how his parents met. Though it seemed that Revon was done with story time.

"Not much. We met a few more times, at the borders of our territories. Then we started being more romantic and meeting more often. And that kinda lasted till she found out she was with egg. Then we stopped seeing each other." Revon summed up simply, turning his attention back to the night outside.

Akemi wasn't even close to satisfied, but he decided to let it go. The boy stayed by his father for awhile, watching the stars as the appeared form behind the shifting clouds. Sleep finally tugged at his eyes, drawing him into a doze.

Akemi wasn't sure how much time had past, but he was suddenly pulled from his nap by a sound. Or was it a smell, or a sight? Disoriented, the boy tried to stand up, only to be held down by a cold claw. As the hand held him to the cave floor, pebbles digging into his stomach, Akemi felt anger well up in him. _I'm getting really sick of this happening._

A cold, steely voice, unfamiliar to Akemi, filled the quiet cave. Stealing a quick glance up at his attacker, the boy saw a massive, wide oni, stood over him with a satisfied grin on his pale red face. He was facing Revon, who stood with his head bowed in submission.

"Well, well, well, it seem the Traitor can still follow orders. You have made your father proud, Revon. I may even consider letting you re-join Wydeath clan!" The huge oni boomed, chuckling at a private joke. His voice took on a darker tone as he looked down at the golden-eyed boy under his claw. "now, lets see what you brought us. I'm sure the Queen will love this new weapon."

* * *

 **AN:** **And, done. Sorry for the wait, life got me. I hope this chapter at least makes up for it a little bit. Sorry if it's crap and you'll never forgive me.**

 **Any of the clan names mentioned in this were just me mashing the keyboard. They're not supposed to have any particular meaning, so if they do, it's a coincidence.**

 **Skrillinator99, I am going to respond to your comment, just because you asked a question I'd like to answer and you're a guest, so I couldn't PM you. You can use my characters if you tell me why and what you plan to do with them. I'm fine with you using them, as long as I know how they're being used. And if you can use your account (if you have one) to PM me about this, that'd be great.**

 **Now, my next update will be for 'trials of a ninja life'. Then, I don't know what next. Exams are a month away and I'm panicking. But, good news is, I got an A in English for my mocks!**

 **Please leave requests and review and follow.**


	9. Chapter 9

**AN:** **Hope you like the new chapter.**

 **Lego owns Ninjago**

* * *

" _Well, well, well, it seems the Traitor can still follow orders. You have made your father proud, Revon. I may even consider letting you re-join Wydeath clan!" The huge oni boomed, chuckling at a private joke. His voice took on a darker tone as he looked down at the golden-eyed boy under his claw. "now, lets see what you brought us. I'm sure the Queen will love this new weapon."_

...

Akemi's cheeks flushed with indignation and frustration as he was marched towards the centre of Oni territory. He'd been locked in chains made of a strange metal he didn't recognise, and was being forced to march in the middle of the patrol. The Oni soldiers surrounded him on all sides, with the huge oni at the front, and Revon trailing at the back.

The sting of his father's betrayal was fading, leaving a flame of anger. The more he thought about it, the clearer his stupidity became. Of course Revon betrayed him, that's what Oni do! Akemi had been foolish to ever believe that his father actually cared. _Mother was my only ally. I'm truly alone now._

They'd been marching across the rocky wasteland since just before dawn. Akemi's feet, still sore from yesterday, screamed in protest. The boy wanted nothing more than to lay on the ground and sleep, but the oni that held his chains didn't let him even stand still for one second.

Just as Akemi thought that the rocky, grey landscape would go on forever, they reached the crest of a small hill. Looking over, the boy saw that the hills slopped down on all sides, towards a massive circle of dry grassland. The grassland, long bleached yellow by the sun, stretched as far as Akemi could see. If he strained his eyes, he could just make out the ridge of the rocks on the other side of the basin.

The whole view was impressive, but the part that really caught his eye was the structures in the middle of the grassland. Stood in the noon sunlight, were four huge hills of rock. They all stood at different heights, with the largest towering higher than most dragons could fly. Unlike normal hills or mountains, these structures seemed to be made of millions of identical rectangles of rock, stacked on top of each other to form the pyramid structures. It was a truly impressive display of architecture.

"Quit staring. Keep moving!" barked out one of the guards, tugging sharply at Akemi's chains. The boy huffed in anger, but followed along without further protest.

The group made their way down into the basin, with the occasional slip or bruised knee. Akemi discovered that climbing down a steep slope of rock was made ten times harder without the ability to use his arms. Tied in the chains as they were, they were more of a hindrance than a help. After his sixth tumble, the Oni decided to just carry him, which wounded Akemi's dignity even more.

Slung over the shoulder of one of the guards, Akemi's view of their destination was blocked. Every step the oni took caused a jolt of pain to hit the boy's stomach, making him mildly nauseous. Oni didn't smell particularly nice, and their shoulders were very bony and sharp. _I'm going to either throw up or get bruises. I hope it's not both._

When the patrol finally reached the bottom of the basin, with the grassland stretching into the distance in front of them, the oni put him down. Disoriented for a few seconds by the sudden change in position and altitude, Akemi stumbled and rubbed his head. _Uh, that wasn't fun._

Without giving him a second to recover, the patrol was on the move again, setting out for the distant pyramids. The guards tugged harshly on his chains, forcing him to keep up. Already exhausted by lack of sleep and the events of the last three days, Akemi found himself plodding mindlessly after them, lost in his thoughts.

The sun was still high in the sky, but was showing signs of setting. Now that he was on the grass, Akemi's feet felt much better, even if they were still bruised. Looking closely at the grass, he could see that it was dead, or close to it. Sand was mixed with the dust, rising into the air as it was disturbed by the patrol's march. Coughing on a cloud of particles, the boy tried to see how far they still had to go. He was disheartened to see that the dead landscape stretched for miles till the first pyramid.

Despite the adverse conditions, the Oni seemed to be fine with this landscape. The dust clouds caused them no grief, and the burning heat from the sun showed no sign of causing them discomfort. The same could not be said for Akemi, who was coughing and nursing a headache from the sun's heat. Dehydration was becoming a concern for him, as he couldn't remember when he last drank. His mouth was as dry as the land around him.

Revon, still trailing at the back of the group, seemed to notice the golden-eyed boy's struggles. The orange oni called out to the leader, careful to keep his voice even and passive. "Should we let the boy rest? He isn't used to these lands, and needs water."

"You dare suggest that we delay delivering this gift to the Queen!" roared the huge oni, his pale red face contorted with rage as he swung round to face Revon. Revon, to his credit, didn't even flinch.

"He will be dead before we get there if you keep him moving at this pace." Revon negotiated, trying to display the logical reasons for the rest. Akemi himself didn't really understand why his father was trying to help him, but also didn't really care. Revon added in a mock-concerned tone. "you don't want to kill the Queen's new weapon, do you?"

"Fine!" the pale red oni huffed, glaring daggers at Revon. He turned to one of the guards, roaring in their face. "give the brat some water, but not to much. We don't want him to be comfortable."

The nervous guard fumbled to untie his water skin from his cloak. Once he freed it, he threw it to the boy, unwilling to get close to the strange creature.

Akemi reached down to pick up the water skin, with difficulty. He'd never seen anything like this before, since he'd never needed to store water. Quickly realising that he needed to unscrew the top, Akemi was soon drinking the water. It was uncomfortably warm and tasted like leather, but he was so thirsty that he didn't care.

After only a few painfully small gulps, the water skin was snatched away from him. Half tempted to ask for more, Akemi grudgingly began following the patrol again as they marched on. The water had helped, but the boy still dreaded the journey they had ahead of them.

Hours past, the sun gradually sinking into the horizon. The sight of the sun setting behind the pyramids was the only highlight of the trek. Dust stung his eyes, and filled his mouth with every breath. As the day cooled, wind whipped up and tossed the sand and dust into the air, making travel even harder for the boy. At this point, he thought he'd almost be glad to reach the Oni pyramids.

When they finally reached the first, and biggest, pyramid, Akemi wanted to just sleep, but clearly that wasn't going to happen. The soldiers stood at the foot of the temple turned to the patrol, spears raised in warning. The pale red oni sneered at them.

"Take us to the Queen!" the huge oni commanded, startling the guards into pointing their weapons at him.

"State your name, clan, and business with her Majesty." one of the braver guards barked, using his spear to block the patrol's path.

"How dare you! I'm a clan leader, you can't ask me that!" the oni growled, glaring daggers at the guard. The guard didn't flinch, and Akemi felt a grudging respect for him.

"It is protocol, sir. It's to defend against intruders." the guard explained calmly, like he was speaking to a child. This only enraged the huge oni, but he seemed to think it wasn't worth it anymore.

"Raiden of Wydeath. I bring a gift for the Queen." the pale red oni snapped, pushing Akemi forward for the guard to see. The boy stumbled slightly, looking stupidly small next to the tall Oni and their temple.

"Oh, a snack?" the guard asked Raiden, peering at the golden-eyed boy, expression doubtful.

"No, a weapon." Raiden corrected harshly, pushing past the guards as they lowered their spears. The guard still looked confused, but let the patrol pass.

Up close, Akemi was once again struck by the beauty and strength of the pyramid. The huge, pale yellow marble had been perfectly shaped and stacked, making him wonder how they did it. The marble had been shined till it gleamed, shining like a moon in the fading light. Stairs were formed in the sides, leading to a small temple on top.

Akemi feared they'd have to climb it, but Raiden just lead them to a entrance at ground level. While much smaller than the other entrances, it was still immensely impressive. The door was surrounded by black marble, carved with strange drawing and sketches. As they stepped into the pyramid, the air got noticeably cooler, which was a great relief to Akemi. Walking down the wide hallway, the boy gazed in amazement at the lines of marble pillars, with gold and jewels embedded into it, forming images of Oni killing dragons or standing majestically.

Seeing even more of the strange lines of sketches, Akemi's curiosity overtook his sense to stay quiet. He turned to Revon, who was walking near him. "What are those images?"

The oni looked momentarily surprised, then quietly replied. "They're writing. It's how we communicate with future generations, and how the past talks to us."

Akemi thought that sounded interesting. He'd never heard of writing, but would definitely like to learn. _Imagine being able to see what everyone used to think, or tell the future a story._

Soon, he realised the floor was slowly sloping down into the ground. The decorations on the walls got even more elaborate and expensive, and burning torches lit the way. The seriousness of his situation sunk in, making the boy regret not trying to escape before. He was about to meet the leader of the Oni, and she wasn't going to let him leave here alive.

Too soon, the hallway opened into an immense throne room. The ceiling rose into the air, decorated by elaborate carvings of the sun and the moon, both surrounding a huge snake, which seemed to be trying to eat them. The floor was polished black marble, filled with white flecks that reminded Akemi of stars. The walls were covered in scenes of battle, of oni killing thousands of dragon, except the wall behind the throne. That one was covered by a massive portrait of an oni, who he guessed was the Queen. Her purple face was made of millions of amethysts, with sharp yellow gems for her eyes. Black obsidian created her cloak, making her bright face stand out. Akemi hadn't even met the Queen yet, and he was already intimidated by her.

The throne itself was just as impressive, formed from gold and silver. Beautiful images of swords and snakes covered the back of the seat. It sat at the top of a tall podium, towering over the guards that stood at the bottom.

And, of course, on the throne sat the Queen herself. She was just as, if not more, impressive as her portrait. Her cloak was bejewelled with rubies and amethysts, and on her purple head sat a gold and platinum crown. Black pigtails of hair rose from her head, where horns normally stood on a male oni. Despite this, Akemi decided that female oni were much scarier than males.

"Your Majesty, Raiden of the Wydeath clan wishes to speak with you." a Speaker announced their entrance, bidding them entrance to the room.

Raiden stepped towards the throne, bowing deeply. He spoke in a surprisingly humble voice. "Your Majesty, my gracious queen, I bring you a gift, to smooth over the crimes of my own son, who I still denounce."

"Very well, let's see it. I don't care for idle gifts from lesser clans." the Queen scoffed, waving her hand in a dismissive manner. Raiden bowed again, and grabbed Akemi's chains sharply, dragging him forwards and placing him before the Queen.

"This is the freak of nature that resulted from my son's traitorous actions." Raiden announced to her. On seeing her displeased expression, he added. "though he is unnatural, we have found out that he holds great power. He could win us the war!"

"Hmm..." the Queen studied the boy, a hungry interest growing in her crazy yellow eyes. Akemi shrunk under her gaze, feeling like she was burning him away to reveal a weak, scared child. "he could be useful. Did you capture his mother, the dragon?"

"I regret to say that, no, we did not capture her. She was killed by the first patrol I sent." Raiden apologised, head bowed submissively. Akemi found it strange to see the proud and harsh oni submit to another.

"And this 'first patrol' didn't capture the child?" she asked, looking down on him.

"No, your Majesty. They were scared away after the freak killed one of them with a glance." Raiden explained, adding extra emphasis on Akemi's display of power. The boy hated the reminder of his most regretted action, and was now fearful that the Queen would see his potential as a weapon.

"I see..." the Queen nodded, rising from her throne to walk towards Akemi. As the Queen approached, the boy was forced to his knees by Raiden's clawed hand, till he was bowing to the oni leader. Fear sent his heart racing.

She grabbed his arm and lifted it up, inspecting the strange hands, that sat where claws would on an oni or a dragon. Queen seemed to find him disgusting, and dropped his arm like it was a snake, but a cruel smile entered her face.

"I'll take him as payment for your clan's traitorous member. This is your last chance, Wydeath clan." she told Raiden, looking at him after studying Akemi.

"Thank you, your Majesty." Raiden bowed deeply again, stepping back to join the rest of the patrol. Akemi looked back for a second, and saw his father's conflicted expression. _Bit late for him to start having doubts._

"Guards, take this creature to the dungeons. Keep him locked in those chains." the Queen commanded, pointing at the boy.

Akemi felt a indignant anger rise in him. He wasn't going to be a weapon for this cruel queen! His mother told him to never fight someone else's war! He wasn't about to break that promise. This sudden anger made him act out without thinking.

Bringing his power to his hands, Akemi thought desperately about knocking the guards away. He was careful to not wish to kill them, not wanting a repeat of last time. He felt the power leave his hands in a blast, but nothing happened. Instead, he was suddenly filled with a sharp pain in his stomach. The pain brought him to his knees, gasping with shock. The chains on his hands glowed a faint gold.

"Ha, ha, ha!" the Queen laughed with sick enjoyment, aiming a sharp kick to Akemi's side after he collapsed. She spoke scornfully to the boy, a smirk on her face. "I take it you've never seen Vengestone before. Very strong and useful metal. Very good at blocking the powers of prisoners."

Akemi blinked his eyes open again, not sure when he closed them. The pain had faded, leaving him feeling weak and shaky. The guards holding his chains dragged him to his feet, marching him out of the throne room. As they entered a small door to the left of the room, he could still here the Queen's scornful laughing.

The guards led him through a maze of corridors, passing servants and maids that bustled around. Since they weren't meant for visitors, the corridors had no jewel or gold, just plain marble with the occasional tapestry.

The dungeons were even less decorated, consisting of cell made of granite with thick metal bars. They past a few other cell before they reached Akemi's, but it was too dark for him to see their inhabitants.

The guards shoved him into the cell, tying his chains to a lock on the wall. Then they left, slamming the door and locking it in one motion. Looking around his new home for the foreseeable future, Akemi felt hopelessness wash over him. The cell was furnished only by a pile of straw and a bucket, and he didn't want to think about the use of that.

Crouching in one corner, Akemi let his head rest against the cold rock. _I've let my mother down. I'll be forced to fight dragons, I'll live my life in this dark, lonely cell. Why did I ever think anyone, other than my mother, would protect me? Everyone just wants my power..._

Thinking he was alone in his misery, Akemi let out a soft sob of grief, wishing his mother was still here, alive and protecting him. He'd never felt more like a child, lost in this cruel world of war. So when something moved in the cell next to him, the tearful boy jumped sharply.

"Who's there?" Akemi asked nervously, hating how his voice wavered. He turned to gaze into the dark cell, straining his eyes to see the creature within.

"I'm here. And could you keep it down, your sadness is too loud? We're all sad here, but some of us are trying to sleep as well." the voice was weak from disuse, cracking as she spoke. Akemi's vision was suddenly filled with the face of a dragon. Its scales were a dull grey, not shiny like other dragons. The face was thin from long periods of hunger, and the eyes were sunken with depression. She spoke again, in a joking tone. "so, how long you in for?"

* * *

 **AN:** **Hope you liked that. Sorry it's two days late.**

 **So, Akemi is with Oni, and we got our first look at the Queen. I hope you liked the Oni pyramids. The description was fun to write. The pyramids are a mix between Egyptian and Aztec.**

 **I know I promised an update for 'trials of a ninja life', but life got in the way. I have lots of half finished oneshots just lying about that I need to get finished. Hopefully I'll update tomorrow.**

 **Also, this is to Skrillinator99 or lesa90stu. Please check your private messaging inbox. If you don't know how to do that, just click on your name at the top of the screen when you're logged on to fanfiction .net. then you can talk and ask me questions that I can answer.**

 **Please review and follow**

 **Bye**

 **Wyrenfire**


	10. Chapter 10

**AN:** **Hope you like the new chapter. Again, so sorry it's late.**

 **Lego owns Ninjago**

* * *

" _I'm here. And could you keep it down? Your sadness is too loud. We're all sad here, but some of us are trying to sleep as well." the voice was weak from disuse, cracking as she spoke. Akemi's vision was suddenly filled with the face of a dragon. Its scales were a dull grey, not shiny like other dragons. The face was thin from long periods of hunger, and the eyes were sunken with depression. She spoke again, in a joking tone. "so, how long you in for?"_

 _..._

"Who are you?" Akemi squeaked in surprise, scrambling back from the dragon. She was obviously young, much smaller than Tatsuo had been, and her horns were short and curved. Despite her haggard appearance, her eyes shone with youth, though it was dampened.

"I could ask you the same." she quipped in reply, a tired smirk gracing her face.

"Whatever, it's not like my name is a secret." Akemi looked down at his chained hands, rubbing unconsciously at the bruises there. He smiled slightly at her. "I'm Akemi."

"Okemia. Now be quiet or else." the dragon responded stiffly, turning away from Akemi and curling into a tangle of dusty scales.

Akemi had the almost unstoppable urge to say 'or else what?', but he wanted to keep his body parts intact. This dragon didn't seem bad, but he was reluctant to look for a friend in someone who just threated him.

The child sat in silence, listening to the sounds of his new home. The drip of the water from the ceiling, and the creak and groan of the wooden beams. Other prisoners shuffled around in the darkness, hidden from his sight. The deep, calm breathes of the grey dragon continued in the background. The prison was so quiet, it almost seemed dead.

Akemi tried to sleep, curled up on his pile of hay, the fibres tickling his nose. Thoughts of the last few days and their events, chased sleep away for most of the night. He only knew it was night-time because all the guards had removed the lamps, plunging the cells into even deeper black. The cold floor and pitch black cell only enhanced his misery. _I've let my mother down...I shouldn't have been foolish enough to get caught by these stupid Oni!_

Eventually, sleep found the exhausted child, and he dreamt. He dreamt of his old home, the cave under the hill, and of his mother, the days they used to spend in happiness and security. Head filled with these comforting memories, a small smile graced the sleeping boy's face.

* * *

"Wake up, you sorry lot!" a loud shout and the sound of heavy footsteps woke Akemi. He shot into an upright position, momentarily confused by his surroundings. _Oh yeah, I'm in the Oni prison..._

"Yeah, yeah, shut up, you creeps!" snapped a familiar voice. Turning to look at the cell next to him, Akemi noticed that Okemia was snarling at the guards that were walking past, smoke curling from her nostrils. "I'm trya sleep!"

"Why you little worm! I should cut you right now!" growled one of the guards, stabbing his spear into her cell, missing her by a few centimetres. "traitor!"

Okemia slunk back at his words, jaws still parted in a low growl. Satisfied with her submission, the guards continued to Akemi's cell. The boy stood up, trying to look menacing and dangerous. Some of the guards were clearly more cautious about approaching him, but the guard that had spoken to Okemia marched right in, pushing Akemi back.

"Don't you try anything! I don't care how many oni think you're dangerous! You! Don't! Scare! Me!" screamed the guard, holding Akemi against the cell wall. His breath was rancid, and it took all of Akemi's efforts not to throw up. After he deemed his threat suitably delivered, the oni guard let go of him, marching out of the cell again.

Two other guards quickly went in to leave him a plate of what looked like sick, but was probably food. Still recovering from his sudden threat, the boy made no move to escape. It wasn't like he could, anyway, he was chained to the wall. Soon, the guards were gone, and Akemi was alone again.

"I would eat that, if I were you." Okemia huffed, nodding to the plate of sick/food. "it's all you're gonna get."

Akemi moved towards the plate, still reluctant to look at it, let alone eat it, but the dragon had a point. The boy hadn't eaten since before his mother died, and that hunger was defeating his disgust for the slop. Casting a curious glance at Okemia, he noticed she didn't have a plate of the slop.

"Where's your food?" Akemi questioned, poking at his own meal with resignation. The grey dragon smiled weakly.

"When you annoy the people that feed you enough, they stop feeding you. I only get food once a week." Okemia smirked, seeming very proud of herself. Akemi just frowned.

"But don't you need food?" Akemi asked cautiously, not sure what her reply would be.

"Not really, pint-size. Dragons don't eat as much as Oni." Okemia snorted, watching with amusement as Akemi tried a bit of the slop.

It tasted a bit like the bread that his mother used to bring him, if that bread had been chewed up by an old, sick dragon and mixed with sour milk. The boy spat out the vile mush, forehead wrinkled in disgust. The grey dragon laughed from her cell, a genuine smile on her jaw.

"Nice?" Okemia asked in an amused voice, smiling at Akemi.

"Not at all!" Akemi exclaimed dramatically, but a smile touched his eyes. It was surprisingly calming to be near someone who didn't instantly scream 'danger!'. Even though he was still reluctant to trust this random dragon in the dungeons, it couldn't hurt to make a friend, could it?

The dungeon fell into silence, but it didn't seem as threatening as before. Resided to the fact that he needed to eat or he would die, Akemi set about consuming the slop, no matter how vile it was. Okemia settled down in her cell, laying with her head on her talons. Scars littered her neck and side, but Akemi decided not to mention it. The comfortable silence was fine with him.

"So, what are you? I thought you were a very small oni last night, but you clearly aren't." Okemia questioned, passively turning her head to study him as he finished off his meal.

"Um, my father is an Oni, but my mother was a dragon." Akemi replied awkwardly, not sure what to introduce himself as. Was he a dragon, or an Oni? Or something in-between?

"Really? You're the half-breed everyone was yapping about?" Okemia exclaimed in surprise, looking more closely at him. "you were all the Oni were talking about a few weeks ago."

"I...I guess I am." Akemi agreed uncertainly, not sure how he felt about that.

"That's just awesome!" Okemia exclaimed, sounding oddly childish, but Akemi was reminded that she probably wasn't much older than him. Her time in this dungeon hadn't completely hidden that fact. "so do you have both powers? Or just one? Wait, do you have a new power, like creation plus destruction?"

"Um..." Akemi wasn't sure how to react to this sudden slue of question. In the end, he just nodded politely, not wanting to discuss his powers.

"Sorry, that probably sounded rude." Okemia apologised abruptly upon seeing his daunted expression. The dragon muttered to herself, then asked hopefully, eyes glistening with emotion. "do you think you can end the war?"

"Um...well, I...I guess...?" Akemi stammered, not wanting to say the wrong thing, but also unsure of his own stance on this matter. Ending the war seemed impossible, and even if he could, it wouldn't last. Dragon and Oni just seemed to be destined to fight for eternity. "but I don't think it would end well..."

"Oh..." Okemia's face fell, the brief hope in her eyes extinguished. Akemi's heart ached with guilt, wishing he could be sure of the future. He wasn't completely innocent, he knew families and friends were being torn apart by the war. _And here I am, just sitting around with the power to end it..._

"I'm sorry...I'm sorry." Akemi apologised sincerely, hoping to provide her a small bit of reassurance. "I don't know how the war will end, but maybe I can help? I just don't know right now."

"I understand." Okemia's expression hardened, hiding her momentary slip of composure. Akemi's heart sank when the grey dragon turned away from him, curling up in the opposite corner of her cell.

The silence was back, and felt much more depressing than last time. Akemi's heart was pained by the loss of his only companion in these dark cells, but his head told him he was being stupid. _You can't get attached to random dragons after a few minutes of talking! Do you want to be betrayed again? I can't afford to get close to anyone!_

The day stretched on in uncomfortable quiet. Guards walked by every few minutes, and Akemi began timing it by making marks on the floor with a rock every second. It gave him something to do, and gave him hope of devising an escape plan. If his days of watching the predators of the forest near his cave taught him anything, it was that patience was key. He needed to say low and watch, till he had a clear view of the enemy.

By the end of the day, he learnt four facts.

 _The guards passed every twenty minutes._

 _Dinner was delivered two hours before the lights were put out._

 _Breakfast was delivered three hours after the lights were lit._

 _Rocks can't pick locks._

Even after getting this info, he didn't feel any closer to a plan. It was like he only had a few pieces of a puzzle, but he was still trying to put it together. He needed more information. Someone who knew this prison well.

His eyes were drawn to the grey dragon, who hadn't moved all night. The soft rise and fall of her spine told him that she was asleep, and Akemi was reluctant to awaken her, especially after yesterday's conversation. But he needed this information!

"Okemia? Can I ask you a question?" Akemi began cautiously, stepping forward to sit beside the bars to her cell. Her sudden change in breathing pattern indicated that she'd heard him, and was choosing to ignore him.

Heart sinking at the thought, Akemi almost gave up, but he needed this info, and if she helped him, maybe they could both escape. He was sure she had family she missed and needed to get home to.

"Please. I just need some help with my escape plan. And I promise I'll free you too! You can go home, to your family!" Akemi pleaded with her, hoping something he said would strike a chord with her.

Okemia lifted her head, hazel eyes glowing faintly in the dim cell. Her face was hard, with her mouth in a thin line, but something in her eyes invited Akemi to continue.

"I'm sure you have family that you want to see. You could help me, and we'll both escape, together! You can go home!" Akemi put as much emotion into his words as he could, desperately hoping she would agree. Her knowledge would be key, and a part of Akemi didn't want to do this alone.

"Nice try, pint-size, but I can't go home, even if we escape." Okemia smirked sadly, seeming genuinely regretful. Akemi frowned in confusion.

"Why? Are they...?" Akemi trailed off, not wanting to voice his thought.

"No, they're alive, most of them. But I don't think they want to see me." Okemia replied, getting uncomfortable under his gaze.

"Why?" Akemi questioned again, unable to think of a reason for someone to avoid their family like this. If he'd been kept in a cell that long, he'd go to anyone, even Revon.

"Let's just say, no one likes a dragon who makes mistakes, like, war level mistakes." Okemia ended the conversation, jumping to another topic. "so, what's your plan?"

"Wait, you're going to help?" Akemi questioned in shock, caught off guard by her sudden agreement.

"Sure, I mean, why not? Just cause I can't go home doesn't mean I don't want to be free. To feel a real breeze against my scales, and hunt for fresh meat again, to swim in a lake or fly in a storm." Okemia spoke wishfully, her eyes going dreamy at the thought of freedom.

"Okay! Well, I was thinking, if we escape, it has to be when the guards aren't near and the lamps are out. That way we can be unseen." Akemi explained, laying out his current plan for her. Okemia replied with a tired smile.

"I don't know. Even if we avoid the guards in the dungeons, there's still the ones in the pyramid. I think we need to think of something else." Okemia told him, pointing out the flaws in his basic plan. Even though her words were true, Akemi was slightly put down by the dismissal of his idea.

"Fine then, what's your idea?" Akemi asked her with mild frustration.

"Well, you're like, super powerful, right?" Okemia questioned, looking at the boy. At Akemi's nod, she added. "so if you get those chains off, you could escape."

"I guess, yeah." Akemi agreed, feeling hopeful about this plan. But, then the flaws of the plan surfaced in his mind. "but how do I remove the chains. The metal is way too tough."

"Yeah, it's designed that way. It's vengestone, mined from under Kaen mountain. The metal is forged to lock in the powers of prisoners." Okemia explained, lifting her left fore-talon to show her own cuff of vengestone.

"That doesn't make me anymore optimistic about our escape." Akemi commented in annoyance. The information was useful, but not in the way of planning an escape. "if it's so indestructible, how are we getting free?"

"That's the thing, though. It's not indestructible. Steel can be forged that's stronger than this. The idea is to overwhelm the metal, till it melts under the energy." Okemia informed him, getting excited about the chance of freedom.

"The idea? You know how to break the chains, and you've never done it?" Akemi questioned sceptically.

"Because no dragon has ever had the power needed to do it. It's just a theory the blacksmiths thought of. Only dragons like the king or queen would be able to break them, or you." Okemia told him, pacing her cell energetically, eyes sparkling.

"I guess it couldn't hurt to try..." Akemi agreed uncertainly, still not one hundred percent into this idea. It sounded like a longshot, but he was willing to try it if it let them escape.

"Yeah, that's the spirit! Okay, so you need to focus on bringing all of your power into your hands. Every last drop." Okemia instructed him, while Akemi still looked sceptical. "Then try to push the power out through the chains. Hopefully, they'll heat up and explode!"

"Wait, what!?" Akemi squeaked in shock, staring at Okemia.

* * *

 **AN:** **I know, I'm horrible at keeping to a plan. I think uploads will be on Sundays now, since that seems to be the only time I can finish them.**

 **I also said I'd update my other stories. I'll still try to, but ideas are scarce this time of year, and my exams are killing me. Sorry.**

 **This chapter was just to introduce Okemia and lay the start of their escape. I don't want his sitting around in a cell for ages. When they leave, things get serious.**

 **Please leave requests and review and follow.**

 **Bye**

 **Wyrenfire**


	11. Chapter 11

**AN: sorry** **for the wait. Hope you like the new chapter. Sorry it's so late, exams killed me...but at least there over!**

 **Lego owns Ninjago**

* * *

" _Yeah, that's the spirit! Okay, so you need to focus on bringing all of your power into your hands. Every last drop." Okemia instructed him, while Akemi still looked sceptical. "Then try to push the power out through the chains. Hopefully, they'll heat up and explode!"_

" _Wait, what!?" Akemi squeaked in shock, staring at Okemia._

...

"Come on, it'll be fine. I'm sure it won't hurt that much." Okemia's words did little to reassure him, and he cast a doubtful look in reply.

"That doesn't make me anymore optimistic about this." Akemi commented in annoyance, glaring at the chains that held him here. Was it worth trying her plan? It wasn't like he had anything to lose.

"Just try it. What's the worst that could happen? Either you'll be free, or still trapped." Okemia reasoned, looking at Akemi with a smile.

"Or it could blow up in my face?" Akemi responded rhetorically, glaring at the chains. Deciding it was worth a shot, he added. "Well, here goes nothing."

Trying to ignore the grey dragon's pacing, Akemi closed his eyes, reaching for the glow of power that was ever-present in his being. Brushing against it, he felt the energy, desperate to be released, burning like a sun. It scared him, knowing this power was in him, capable of things unknown. But, at that moment, it reassured him. Only he had this power, and he could do good with it, make sure that evil never used it. And, in his current situation, it was the key to his freedom.

Pushing the power to the chains felt a lot like rolling a boulder uphill. He had to hold onto every bit, as it tried to move back to his centre. A few time, he lost his grip on the energy, and had to go back again. He had no idea what he looked like while doing this, but when he opened his eyes again, he felt like he'd just run up a steep cliff. Okemia sat in her cage, watching him silently with bright hazel eyes.

"Okay...uh...okay..." Akemi mumbled to himself as gazed at his hands, which were now glowing a faint gold. The chains felt warm on his skin, but he needed them hotter. Focusing on the vengestone, he crept the golden energy into it, heating the metal.

Gaining confidence, the half-breed wrapped even more energy around the chains, watching in fascination as the metal glowed. The water from the damp floor of the cell rose into the air around him as steam, hissing as it evaporated.

Akemi could feel the heat on his face, but it didn't burn. Common sense told him he should be in pain right now, but he found himself only feeling a mild warmth. It reminded him of his mother's scales when she would coil around him in a loving embrace.

Shaking himself out of his memories that threatened to distract him, he angrily pushed the last of the energy into the chains. The glow of the metal intensified, untill the cell was filled with golden light as bright as the sun. Eyes still open, unable to look away, Akemi saw Okemia throw her wings over her head, shielding her eyes from the flare.

Almost anti-climatically, the metal melted off his arms. The glowing, superheated chains abruptly turned from a solid to a liquid, dripping into a puddle on the floor of the cell. Steam rose from the liquefied metal as it cooled on the colder rock, hissing harshly. Stumbling clumsily back from the molten metal, Akemi blinked his eyes against the sudden lack of light. The glow had died down, and the vengestone only emitted a weak, red light.

He was free! The metal had melted right off his arms, leaving only a few bruises where he'd been tugging on the chains. Smiling almost manically, he turned to Okemia's cell. Her wings were still over her face, unaware that it was over.

"You can look now, I did it!" Akemi exclaimed happily, lifting up his arms to show the dragon as she lowered her wings.

"YES!" Okemia cheered, moving closer to his cell to see the molten vengestone on the floor, which was already starting to harden. "Can you do mine too?"

Akemi watched her twist her left foreleg around to show him the vengestone chain that rested here, keeping her locked here. He also spotted the two clamps that held her wings closed. Now that the vengestone no longer blocked his powers, Akemi merely placed his hand on the chains, opening the cuffs with a thought. The chain clattered to the ground, freeing the grey-scaled dragon. Drawing her now freed leg closer her face, a smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. The scales underneath, having been protected from most of the dirt and dust, were a bright silver.

Akemi sat still, watching her take in her new freedom, but worry tugged at his mind still. They may be free of the vengestone, but both were still stuck in the cells, deep under an Oni pyramid.

"What n-" Akemi began to ask, but quickly cut himself off when footsteps echoed down the corridor of cells. Panicking, Akemi sat in front of the now cooled vengestone, hiding his hands behind his back. Hopefully, the guard wouldn't realise he was free. Okemia merely curled up in a tight ball, already glaring daggers at whoever was coming.

Just as Akemi suspected, three guards marched up to their cells, frowning at the inhabitants within. Two held sharpened spears of dragon bone, serrated as always, while the middle one was armed with a large khopesh. The oni looked at Akemi with suspicion, but did not enter his cell.

"What's going on here? We have reports of a bright light coming from your cell!" the oni armed with the khopesh glared through the bars of Akemi's cell, cyan face scowling murderously. The sight should've scared Akemi, but the boy kept his face carefully neutral. The knowledge that he was already free, and could probably beat these guards sat at the back of his mind. It was almost a struggle not to smile.

Clearly, Okemia didn't possess the same self-restraint. The grey dragon flashed her fangs at the guards, jaw parted in a smirk. A roar-like purr emitted from her throat, and it took Akemi a few seconds to realise she was laughing. The guards were a little slower on the uptake, but angrily brandished their spears at the caged dragon.

"Quiet, foul beast!" one guard barked, poking his spear through the cell bars to strike her. But, unlike other times, she didn't back down. Instead, she grabbed the spear shaft, yanking it from his grasp and snapping it in two. It was a second later that Akemi realised she'd done it with her previously chained limb.

 _Well, that secret lasted almost ten seconds._ Deciding that Okemia's actions were the catalyst for their escape, Akemi stood up, revealing his freed hands, deliberately glowing a pale gold.

It had the desired effect of terrifying the guards, who quickly realised their situation and had no desire to fight the dragon and the boy. Taking off down the corridor, the oni raised the alarm with their shouts of panic.

Okemia laughed in a gleeful, almost manic voice, watching the guards run scared. Akemi mumbled to himself about stupid dragons blowing their cover, then opened his cell door. After a pointed look at the laughing dragon, he also opened hers.

"Did you really have to do that? We have no plan!" Akemi protested, glaring at Okemia as she stepped out of her cell. He waited for a reply, then realised she wasn't paying him any attention. Her gaze was locked on her talons, which were touching the stone floor outside her cell. "you're not even listening to me, are you?"

"Um...what?" Okemia mumbled distractedly. When she finally tore her gaze from the floor, her head snapped up to look at him. "sorry, did you say something?"

"Yeah, I did," Akemi exclaimed sarcastically, but quieted at the look on her face. It was a dazed happiness, like relief and disbelief mixed together. It struck him that this was probably the first time she'd been outside her cell in many months. Using a kinder voice, Akemi told her, "we need to get moving. Your little stunt removed our cover."

"Yeah, but it was fun!" Okemia seemed to snap back into herself, and gave Akemi a cheeky grin. The boy rolled his eyes, but smiled back at her. _It was quite satisfying to watch._

"Come on, let's get out of here." Akemi started down the corridor, nervous of bumping into other guards. He may be free to use his powers, but he was still reluctant to hurt anyone with them.

So, the two headed along the corridor, past the rows of cells. Many were empty, but others held dragons of various colours and sizes. Some snarled at them as they past, while some just watched them with dead eyes. Few had the energy to plead for freedom.

On impulse, Akemi began silently opening the cages and breaking their cuffs with his powers as he past. It didn't feel right to leave them here. And, even if they didn't escape, they'd still cause the Oni lots of inconvenience. Okemia was silent about her opinion of this action, but Akemi swore he saw her smile.

As the roars of freed dragons rose behind them, the young boy and dragon emerged into a cross roads in the path. Up ahead, Akemi saw stairs leading to the surface. Starting towards them, he was surprised when Okemia's talons held him back.

"What are you doing? We need to leave." Akemi whispered harshly, staring at her in confusion. In reply, the grey dragon held him to the ground and lay her wing over him, pressing herself as far as she could into the side of the corridor.

Akemi opened his mouth again to protest, but snapped it shut when footsteps echoed down the corridor. Peeking under her wing, Akemi saw three guards march past. They didn't even spare a glance at the crouching dragon.

Once the guards had turned a corner and disappeared, Okemia stood up and took her wing off the boy. Scrambling to his feet, Akemi watched in confusion as different shades of black and grey rippled over her scales. Okemia followed his gaze and smiled.

"You can camouflage?" Akemi asked in surprise and amazement.

"Yeah, it's my creation power. I can change my scale colour." The now grey dragon admitted proudly, ruffling her wings. "It'd be more impressive if I was cleaner."

Now that both parties were satisfied no guards were coming, they headed up the stairs. The steps were carved from sandstone, and had been smoothed over time, giving little for talons to grip to, but Okemia managed. Spiralling up, the stairs appeared to go all the way to ground level. He knew hundreds of guards were probably waiting at the top to ambush them, but Akemi couldn't think of any way avoid them. _This is going to hurt._

"You ready to toast them and run?" Okemia asked excitedly, looking decidedly too happy about roasting the oni alive. Akemi nodded to her, feeling dread grow in his stomach. Tension and fear ran down his spine, making him feel weak. Furious with himself for letting the Oni make him feel this way, he focused on his power. _I can beat them! They shouldn't make me afraid._

Following the dragon's tail, the golden-eyed boy strained his ears to hear what was up ahead. Unlike dragons, he had no enhanced hearing, so only the _clip_ and _scrape_ of Okemia's claws reached his ears.

Cleaner air filled their lungs as the stairs reached their top. Okemia stiffened, talons curled and teeth bared, looking at an enemy blocked from Akemi's view. The clang and hiss of swords being drawn froze the boy's mind. The Oni army was waiting for them.

"Surrender and return to your cells, or you will be forced to!" a loud, commanding voice addressed them. Akemi squeezed through Okemia's legs to get a better view of the enemy. The stairs had opened into a large hall that Akemi had never seen before. On the opposite side of the hall, a legion of Oni soldiers blocked two huge oak doors. No other doors or windows adorned the room.

"Ha! As if." The grey dragon taunted, sounding more confident than she looked. Akemi decided he should say something, or Okemia would just make things worse.

"Let us leave, and we'll not harm you." Akemi called out to the leader of the legion, a tall, heavily armoured, white-faced oni. He tried to keep his voice steady, but it squeaked at the end. Embarrassment rose in his cheeks.

"You do not scare us, foolish child. My army will show you no mercy. Think about your next move carefully." The white-faced oni sneered, pale red eyes glowing with confidence. As if to punctuate his statement, the soldiers struck their shields against the floor, producing an echoing chant.

Akemi stood watching the legion, mind blank. He found all his courage had sunk away at the sight of the army. _How can I win this without hurting anyone?_ Indecision kept his mouth closed and his feet still. Okemia looked at him in confusion, clearly expecting him to do something, but fear had lodged his throat.

The leader of the army smirked, signalling for his troops to charge.

Just as the legion moved forward, a roar split the air, echoing off the walls of the hall. Instinct drove Akemi and Okemia to move to one side as dragons streamed out of the stairway behind them. The freed prisoners snarled and hissed at the sight of the legion, forming into a line to face them. Not expecting to face over twenty dragons today, the soldiers stumbled to a halt. Both sides radiated hatred for the other.

Akemi instantly didn't like their chances. While the Oni legion was well fed and battle trained, the dragons were malnourished and sickly. But what made all the difference in the end was that the Oni were nervous and reluctant to fight, having heard of the half-breed's power and the ferocious dragons that were chained under the pyramid. On the other talon, the dragons were desperate and blind with fury, more than ready to fight to the death if it gave them even a chance at freedom.

Feeling very small and breakable under the flock of dragons that now stood before him, Akemi found himself leaning on Okemia's foreleg. The grey dragon looked just as scared as the boy, but smiled anyway. She looked pointedly at the oak door, lowering her neck to whisper to him.

"When this fight starts, jump on my back. We'll fly out'a here before they even notice." Okemia explained, wings held tense at her side. It sounded like a foolhardy plan, but Akemi was desperate enough to try it.

Snarls and roars filled the hall, the roof clouding with the smoke rising from the nostrils of twenty dragons. The Oni legion used their shields to form a wall against the reptiles, poking their spears through the gaps to create a line of spikes. Every creature held its breath in anticipation.

The dragons, with their blatant disregard for Oni property, started the battle by blazing the tapestries that hung in the hall. Smoke choked the air, panicking the legion and driving them to attack. The battle cry of the Oni mixed with the roars of the dragons swelled as the two sides met in the middle.

Shrinking away from the screeches and growls of the battling beasts, Akemi watched with wide eyes as dragons and oni tore at each others throats. Blood, both dark and light, dripped from the sky as dragons took their battles to the air. The smell of smoke was now mixed with the aroma of burning flesh, as dragons torched the legion.

"-emi! Akemi! Get up, now!" a strong, scaled muzzle nudged the boy in the side. He had the mild thought that such a shove should've knocked him over, before realising he was already crouching on the floor. _When did that happen?_

The nudge came again, and the boy shook himself out of his daze in time to clamber onto Okemia's back as she rose to dodge the tail of a much larger dragon. The boy gripped the dragon's neck, pressed against her back to stay on-board.

Tears streamed from his eyes as Okemia flew over the battle, hidden in the smoke. Smoke filled his lungs and stung his eyes, forcing him to hold his breath. Okemia seemed less effected; like most dragons, her lungs could cope with large inhalations of smoke.

Being on the smaller side, Okemia was undetected as she travelled over the legion, reaching the doors in a few seconds. Akemi felt a strange rumble coming from her neck, and a few seconds later fire blasted the oak door. Keeping up a continuous stream of flames, the dragon soon burnt a large hole in the door. Without a glance behind at the on going battle, Okemia leapt through the hole.

The first thing that struck Akemi was the clean air. After inhaling dragon smoke, the boy found himself coughing harshly to replace it with the fresh air of the desert. The second thing he noticed, was the brightness of the sun. It appeared to be mid-day, and the sun was burning the surrounding area and his skin with an unforgiving glare.

The last thing he saw, which really should've been the first, was the army waiting for them.

At almost three times the size of the first legion, the army that faced the boy and the dragon covered most of the area. Bristling with spears and archers, these soldiers didn't look ready to back down.

Okemia spread her wings, clearly intending to fly away as fast as she could, but when the army replied with a few warning arrows to the ground in front of her, she lowered them again. Akemi locked eyes with her as she looked to him meaningfully. He reluctantly nodded.

Standing perfectly still, Okemia lowered her head in mock submission. Her acting was pretty bad, no surprises there, but it tricked the army long enough for the archers to lower their bows. That's when he struck.

While the Oni had been focused on Okemia, Akemi gathered his golden energy into his hands, silently preparing to attack. Although he was reluctant to hurt the Oni, he wasn't going to be chained again. _Sorry, but I'm leaving now, and you can't stop me!_

Before the army realised what was about to happen, the entire legion was stripped of its weapons. The spears, swords, and bows were ripped from the soldiers' hands and tossed far into the desert. Then the soldiers found themselves face down in the dusty ground, tossed there by Akemi's power. In the confusion that followed, Okemia rose into the air.

Wings beat the air around him, ruffling his hair and clothes. Using one hand, he gripped his hat to stop it from flying away. With his other hand clinging to one of Okemia's neck spines, the boy glanced down at the army.

The Oni soldiers were scrambling for their spare weapons, while the panicked commands of their leaders filled the air. A few hurriedly shot arrows glanced past Okemia and Akemi, but none met their mark. Rising higher, they were soon out of range of the Oni.

Slightly unsteady in the air, the grey dragon quickly found a jet stream to ride. Her scales shifted to a pale blue with moving patterns of white, reflecting the sky they flew through.

As the adrenaline faded, the boy rested his head on the warm scales, watching the horizon with tired eyes. They were free, but Akemi couldn't shake the feeling that things were just getting started. As the only half-breed in the realm, life was only going to get harder.

* * *

 **AN: I'm so sorry. My exams finished last week, but life has been a mess. But I got this done as fast as possible. I hope it's okay.**

 **Since it's only a few days till season 9, this fic is soon going to be an AU. I want to continue it, since I have lots of ideas for it. But things will probably veer away from cannon.**

 **This chapter was to free Akemi and get the story moving. The next chapter will be very dramatic and I already have it planned out. The oni masks will start showing up, and the realm crystal quest will start. Hope you want to read it!**

 **Please review and follow**

 **Bye**

 **Wyrenfire**


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